Believer
by Crimson-Midnight-Moon
Summary: After Elena wakes from her magical coma and strange dreams, she notices things about herself that are off. Not knowing where she stands with her friends, or even herself, Elena decides that it's best to go off and find herself. Upon finding out, she had to believe in something bigger than monsters. 2 years later, she comes upon New Orleans, the Originals, and trouble. PostTVD;TO S4
1. Prologue

**Believer**

 **Prologue**

Leaning back against her the cushion of her booth, arms crossed with her glass of whisky in her hand, she watches vampires, werewolves, and witches alike interact as if the war between their differences didn't matter. It was unsettling just as it was enlightening. She didn't know what compelled her to come to this city in the first place; not that anything could compel her anymore, not in recent years at least.

Taking a sip from her glass, she turns her attention to a tall, slightly bald, caramel skinned man. The way he carried his body screamed authority, but she could sense the darkness, the uncertainty that was engraved in his bones, in his soul. _He's a hybrid…but something feels slightly off,_ she thinks.

She narrows her eyes and sees him glance at the picture with a young looking brunette and a slightly older looking blond woman. There was a glimpse of grief in his eyes,but it vanished as quick as it appears. _Interesting._

She was glad that she sat in a corner of the bar that hid her so well, no one questioned, or gave her any unwanted attention, that way she could find out more about this city's unique situation. Her lips turned up in a small smile.

Standing up, she leaves some money for her drink and makes her way out of the Bar, the sunlight hitting her dark brown, shoulder length hair and warming her light olive complexion. Her doe eyes shine as she smiles at the festive atmosphere that seems to be a constant here. _Their all so happy…but there is a darkness in this place._ Yes, New Orleans would certainly prove to be interesting, maybe even more so than Mystic Falls.

Glancing up at the sky, a frown appears on her face as she notices thunder clouds creeping their way toward the city. _How ironic…_

—-

Disclaimer: I Own nothing!

 _Italics =_ Thoughts

 _A/N: Hello! Okay, so first, I'd just like everyone to know that I will be taking certain aspects from other shows to work with where I'm going with this story, but never the characters, but I am also adding my own twist to this story. I am writing without a Beta reader, so let me know when you come across something the I chopped up so I can go back and fix it. Also, I don't want to reveal everything all at once when it comes to this story, I'm going to attempt to keep some of the mystery in it, to keep the appeal, but not to an annoying point (tell me if I do)._

 _Not all chapters will be this short, I usually aim for 2000-4000 words on a chapter in this story. I write these as new episodes come out, because the shows story works with what I've had in mind so I can tweak and play with that time line which it starts (prologue) in 4x01 of the Originals and after Vampire Diaries final._

 _So please enjoy this crossover! Parings will be either Elena x Elijah, or Elena x Kol. Whichever has more chemistry in this, I'll let you all decide!_

 _So please, leave a review, follow, favorite! Seriously, please leave a review, I want to know what you think; constructive criticism, one word reviews, emoji! I'll take it, because anything is better then nothing. Thank you! :D_


	2. No Quarter

_Believer_

 **Chapter 1: No Quarter**

Elena Gilbert was certain of some things in her life.

One of those things being that she will forever defend the people she loved, no matter how much people patronized her for being a martyr; it's who she was, she refuses to bend to other peoples standards in what a person should or should not be or do. The second being that New Orleans was quite literally invested with Vampires from all over the world this last week.

What set the alarms off in her head however was the fact that there was talk of a certain Hybrid Original being captured, and the fifth anniversary of the fall of the Mikaelson's. To say she was shocked was a bit of an understatement.

But somehow she knew that the Mikaelson's would never be taken out quite so easily. No, from what Elena gathered in the week that she's been in New Orleans she knew that Klaus would never leave his daughter alone in this world, despicable as she found him. The hybrid loves his family just as much as she loves her own. You can't fault someone for loving their family.

Standing outside her new apartments balcony, leaning up against the brick wall, holding her coffee mug with both hands, she closed her eyes taking in the morning air. Her brows furrow and a shiver runs down her back. Opening her eyes again looking out on the streets she feels the unnerving air.

Something's off. Her mind throws. Making her way back inside she put her mug away and changes into a pair of dark skinny jeans, black combat boots, a purple tank top, and throws her beige leather jacket on, deciding to just leave her hair in the shoulder length beach wave state it was in. Grabbing her cell phone, she was out the door.

* * *

Heading toward Rousseau's, she arrives just in time to watch Josh, she learned a few days ago, push people out, going on about a gas leak and stealing the bars glasses. She walks toward the bar putting on a smile just in time to have him spot her and return a nervous smile.

"Hey Josh! Whats that about my favorite bar having a gas leak?" A curious tone hinting her voice. He stands in front of one door, holding onto the other one, ready to close it.

"Uh, yeah sorry about that, it just kind of…appeared out of no where. The repair people will be hear any moment." Elena smiled at him, sensing the lie from the way his body moves nervouly.

His eyes flick nervously behind him as if something would jump any minute. Taking the moment she stares at the door behind him focusing on the area inside. Her senses tingle, alerting her of a powerful, dangerous aura inside; Vampires and a witch, she concludes.

 _The energy is powerful. Their strong…and angry_. Letting out a breath she was holding she stares worriedly at Josh.

"Just be careful…those gas leaks can be quite _dangerous_ to ones health." She tells him. His eyes widened for a moment, sensing a double meaning behind her words. "I won't keep you. Just please be careful, if you need anything, just call for me."

He nods his head at her, almost unsure of what to say, so he settles for, "Thanks Elena." Giving him one last reassuring smile, she walks away. He lets out a sigh, closing the doors of the bar, locking them.

Thinking back on what she said. _She didn't say call me…she said call **for** me_. His eyebrows furrow in confusion. _Maybe a misuse of words…maybe not? That was wired._

Josh walks to the bar before walking toward the back.

"Alright, everyone's gone, you can come out." He calls out, "Thanks for not killing anyone." He says half sarcastic, half sincerely as the Originals come out.

"What was the hold up mate?" Kol says annoyed as he goes to grab something from the bar.

Josh shrugs, " Some new girl worrying about my wellbeing." Although he really appreciates it, not that hell ever say that in front of them or Marcel.

"Lets get down to business, we need to find a way to get Klaus." Freya says, ignoring her little brother and the young vampire.

"There should be an entrance to the tunnels in the boiler room leading to the compound." Elijah says. Turning to Josh, he asks, "Would you be so kind as to move the boiler thats covering the entrance?"

"Really?" Josh replies in disbelieve. The look on Elijah's face told him not to argue, even though he really wants to, but he chose live on that battle. Huffing out a "Fine!" He goes to the boiler room, ignoring the Sibling's discussion.

Sometimes, he wishes he was still human and chose to go to that college in California, instead of dealing with all this supernatural drama.

* * *

Elena walks down the busy streets some more after leaving Rousseau's, taking in the beautiful pictures that artist's placed around.

 _You don't see things like this in Mystic Falls_. She thinks sadly, memories of before she was in the magical coma still fresh in her mind. _I hope they're alright_. Elena thinks as her friends came to mind; she hasn't seen them since last christmas.

Sensing Vampires around her, she turns to tilt her head in a way that looks like she's admiring the painting in front of her and not eavesdropping on their conversation. _It gets me the information I need. To late to feel bad about it now._

 _" Their back."_ One Vampire tells his friend.

 _" Who's back?"_ The other one asks in confusion. She heard the first Vampire hit the other over the head.

 _"The Mikaelson's you fool!"_ He hisses. Elena's eyes widen a bit at that. She couldn't help the small smirk gracing her face, it was gone as soon as it came.

 _One doesn't simply get rid of the Originals. Their invasive almost_ , she laughs in her head at the idea of comparing the thousand year old Vampires to invasive species's, like insects.

 _"Marcel will be furious."_ the third vampire states.

 _"Yeah, He got held up in the grave yard by the blond one. Tessa's taking care of it though, and with Marcel being as powerful as he is, the rest don't stand a chance."_ The first one smirks.

Tuning the rest of the their conversation out, something flashes in Elena's mind as she thinks back on how Rebekah killed her all those years ago, somehow she can't bring herself to hate the blond girl anymore, as so much worse has happened.

Another flash of a picture comes to her head; _Rebekah lying on the cold graveyard floor, surrounded by mausoleum's, a dozen arrows in her back and a short hair woman standing over her._

 _Save her._ The voice in her mind tells her. Pursing her lips, she furrows her brows. She feels an ache in her bones to help the girl; she lets out a sigh, making a decision. _I hope I don't regret this._

Hurriedly she walks down the path before turning into an alleyway out of sight of any eyes. Taking one last look around to make sure no one's following her, she wisp's away in a grey, black, and purple twisting cloud like smoke.

Feeling the pull of her teleportation disappear she looks around the place she arrived at, the Mausoleums where everywhere, _Lafayette cemetery_ she reads. Tuning her ears and concentrating on the auras in the graveyard, she can make out two dozen vampires.

Carefully she walks a bit until she sees the woman from her vision stand over the blond, arrow in hand as she grouches to stab it into Rebekah's back as the gray faded around her, it appears again. She was talking to another man.

Elena frowns, ready to throw the other woman into the wall opposite of her, but then the man she was talking to fell to the ground, only to reveal Kol Mikaelson with a hateful look and a heart in his hand. Her breath hitches a bit, and she's suddenly really glad that her protective barrier hides her scent and any noises she makes.

Sensing the other auras coming toward their direction, she ignores Kol's speech and Tessa running away. Quickly, Elena put the hood of her jacket over her head and teleports in front of Kol, who was pulling the arrows from his sisters back, just as a Vampire was about to run and stake him, and she threw the Vampire into a long pointed headstone, impaling him, taking out his heart.

Kol spins around just as the vampire lands and watch's the cloud-thing, turn into a human form. By the figure he could tell it was a girl.

"Take your sister and go. I can handle this." The voice sounds extremely familiar to him, but watching as she stretch's out her hand and basically flung back all seven vampires coming toward her at once ,he didn't think twice before taking Rebekah and running off.

Elena can't help but let out a snort. _I know I told him to run, but damn_. She thinks as she creates a barrier around the vampires, keeping them from escaping. _I haven't had time to test this trick out yet._

She smirks as she turns back into her cloudy smoke state of twirling grey, black and purple energy. The vampires grow terrified as they try to run away but realizing that they couldn't escape as they hit an invisible wall. In her state, she comes after each vampire like a snake, striking multiple times and the vampires all fall to the ground, skin grey and dead.

She stands to look at her work, guilt instantly spreads through her mind. _I will never understand this…thing that I am. No matter how much training I get._ She thinks sadly. _These people…are they innocent or guilty of some horrible deed. Why where they turned? Why is this city crawling with the Supernatural? This city is screwed up. And what about the Originals?_

Thinking about the Originals brought images of Elijah to her mind, and a small sad smile to her lips. _The only one worth saving, in my opinion, but…I had the vision to save Rebekah for a reason…and Klaus has a daughter. Perhaps…there's more worth saving_.

Leaning against a wall, Elena is hit with images and emotions of a teenage girl. _Brown long hair, wide eyes, a harvest, a tall dark man, gratitude, darkness, life, that look up lovingly into someones eyes, so much loss, confusion, Regent, outcast, trusting eyes that suddenly widen in terror, darkness, fear, hope, more fear, a short hair blonde woman, more fear, more darkness, sadness, love, isolation, nothingness, silence._ _Dear god!_ Elena mind shouts overwhelmed.

Not realizing she closed her eyes, Elena rips them open and she gasps for air. Spinning around she looks up at the Grave, eyes wide.

 _Davina Claire_ , she reads.

Raising her hand to trace the letters with the tips of her fingers, she feels a sadness wash over her.

"You're the girl from the picture." Elena says quietly. _To young to die. To young to be given that kind of responsibility and understand it. Why would someone twist up such potential?_

Closing her eyes, she places her hand over Davina's name. Twisting her eyebrows in concentration, she feels it. Stepping back she smiles softly up at the name and says quietly, "There's still something there." And for a moment, Elena thought she heard a voice.

Looking around to make sure the coast was clear, the wisps away in her cloud state, but not before leaving a promise to visit again.

* * *

Rebekah gave a sigh after leaving a message on Elijah's phone. Kol paces as they waited by the sewage drain.

"It's been too long, we should leave." He said worriedly. His sister frowns at him.

"We are not leaving our family behind." She responds firmly.

Letting out a sound of frustration, he threw out his arm, "Marcel could be shredding our family to pieces as we speak!"

"Well perhaps they simply don't have cell phone service in a drainage pipe!" She threw back, "They'll be here Kol." She looks around then back at him, "And while we have a moment, I want to thank you."

A look of confusion crosses Kol's face, "For what?"

"For getting me, other wise I wouldn't be sitting here getting annoyed at you." She responds and a smile graces his face, but vanishes just as quickly thinking back on the female who appeared and saved them.

"Actually, someone, or thing saved me from being staked right there along side with you." He admits. Rebekah's eyes widen a bit.

"What are you talking about?" Her brother lets out a breath, annoyance in his voice.

"I pulled out the arrows from your back, somehow one Vampire made it without being noticed and almost staked me. This person…thing whirls in like…I don't even know how to describe it Bekah…she literally turned herself into a twirling mess of clouds! I've never heard of anyone, not even witches doing that."

The blonde narrows her eyes, "You said 'she' as in a girl? Why would she save us brother? Are you sure it wasn't some trick?"

He rolls his eyes. "Yes sister dear, a girl, like what you are. Anyway, It didn't feel like a trick, when she did that cloud thing I could feel some of the energy coming off it, it was odd for lack of better words."

"Great, just what we need! More Supernatural, in the already supernatural infested city." Rebekah groans.

Kol frowns and turns his head toward the drain pipe listening, just in time for the rest of his siblings to come out of it in a hurry with Klaus. The two siblings go to hug their older brother, till Freya speaks in a hurried tone,"You can hug him later, Marcel is behind us as we speak." They make their way up toward the car.

" Actually…" Marcel says as he walks to stand in front of them, "I'm right here. You shouldn't have come back…None of you."

"Thats what family does. We fight for each other!" Hayley proclaims.

"Yes, so I've heard, but it didn't really work out for me did it?" Marcel throws back at her.

An annoyed look crosses Kol's face, " Oh for gods sake, get over it! You where never a Mikaelson, and you never will be! Don't you have a city to run, vampires to bully out of town?"

Stepping in front of her family Rebekah gives Marcel a cold look and states" If you kill one of us, you'll have to kill us all."

"Don't push me Rebekah. Especially not after what you're brother did to my vampires at the cemetery." He tells her warningly, a glare on his face.

"My brother did not kill your stupid vampires, but please get on with it. We'll deal with this once and for all." Rebekah glares back.

"Enough!" Klaus says both demanding and tiredly, moving up to stand next to his little sister, "Thats enough Marcel, alright? You've won." Marcel gives Klaus a hateful glare, making Klaus avert his eyes, before looking back into his adopted son's gaze. "New Orleans was once our city, but now it's yours."

Marcel's expression turns bitter, "So the great Klaus Mikaelsson is exerting defeat?" He says, his expression turning sour, "Or is this all just another _distraction_?" Rebekah glances at the ground with guilt for a second.

"Neither, in fact, despite your appealing behavior, I'm offering you a chance of peace. Kill us, consequently any of us survives and will come back to seek revenge, bringing enemies back into this city. And even if you did manage to eliminate us all, one day my daughter would come for you,and her daughter after that. An endless cycle of violence for all your days…Or…or we leave…and never come back." Klaus explains to him, adding the last in hesitance.

Marcel looks away and shakes his head, before looking back at Klaus in disbelieve, "After so many years of being cooped up in that hole, you still got some nerve. You stand there, and think that you actually have a choice? Here's the truth…I could kill all of you right now, and not lose a wink of sleep tonight or any of the days to come. It's what you would do, you've killed and slaughtered lives and families, more then anyone all because you could. But despite being raised by you people; I am nothing like any of you. So yeah, I'm not a Mikaelson,"

He shoots Kol a look, before looking Klaus in the eye, "But you know what, I'm proud as hell that I'm not a Mikaelson, beating you without ever turning into any of you., because now you can go on and live your lives knowing that the only reason you still exist is because I am showing you mercy. Now go, get the hell out of my city, and don't ever come back."

An unknown emotion flickers in Klaus's eyes, but vanishes just as quick as he looks at Marcel one last time, before the Originals slowly turned to leave.

Still standing on the dirt road, Marcel watches as the car leaves with a hard look. Once they where out of sight and he was alone, he let out a sigh, running a hand over his head. _And once again drama finds it's self in the city._

Feeling the vibrations of his phone, he pulls it out of his pocket and opens the message from Tessa.

 _The bodies are taken care of. See you tonight._ He smirks at the last part, before hurrying back to his apartment.

Lying in bed later that night, unable to sleep, he slowly gets out making sure not to wake the woman next to him. Walking out on the balcony in the cold night, with the cellphone he picked up on the way in hand, he opens the message left by Vincent and listens.

 _"Hey Marcel, you're gonna wanna call me back. I saw something today that I've seen before. I'm telling you this city, everyone in it is in danger…and it might just be all my fault."_ As Marcel listen's to the terrified tone in his witch friends voice, he feels uneasy. Ending the voicemail as he listens to it two more times, he goes inside to get a glass of bourbon before heading back outside and looking over his city with a frown.

 _It's too quiet._

* * *

Arriving at the House in the Bayou, Hayley parks the car. The Originals move to get out but didn't make their way into the house yet.

Kol pulls out a phone and writes a quick text to someone and turns his head up as Freya walks up to him, a knowing smile on her face, "Dare I ask why you still have that?" Kol shakes his head making a face.

"Just doing a favor for a friend of a friend." He breaks the phone in half and drops it to the ground, "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm ready for some bourbon." And he makes his way to the house, Freya not far behind him.

Klaus gaze's up at the house unsure and nervous. Noticing his hesitation Elijah ask's in concern "What is it?" Making his way to stand next to Rebekah and Klaus.

"Five years have never felt so long." He turns to face them, his face full of gratitude, "Thank you…for not abandoning me." Rebekah sent a small smile his way.

"We'll I did consider it. The vote was rather close." She say's teasingly and Klaus smiles and lets out a low chuckle at his sister. She moves to rub his shoulder and gives him a kiss on the cheek before making her way toward the house with Elijah.

Leaving only Klaus and Hayley outside. Hayley walks up next to the Hybrid. "You okay?" She asks sincerely.

Klaus shrugs, "Well considering the imprisonment, torture, and forced isolation…" He states casually.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry. I can't imagine what you've been through." She tells him.

"I've had my moments of solace to sustain me. Its because of them I'm here now." He says looking toward the house in gratitude. Hayley takes this moment to walk up the steps before turning to look at him.

"So does that mean you're ready to see your little girl?" Her voice gentle as she ask's. His eyebrows raise up for a moment and a small smile forms on his face. They make their way inside and walk to Hopes room, still asleep the little girl flips her body, now facing the door.

Hayley opens the door and Klaus stands by the frame, "Do you want me to wake her for you?"

Klaus shakes his head and whispers back, "No, let her sleep." Hayley leaves him as he continues to gaze over at his daughter in amazement, a look of love crossing his face and a smile blooms on his lips. _It is all worth in the end, if it means you are safe._

* * *

Elena lets out a sigh as she sits at her table in her apartment. _This will turn into a giant cluster, wont it?_ She thinks reading her journal of all the information she has gathered about some supernatural beings over the last two years of her new status. _And I need to make a note of that girl…something doesn't feel right about that._

Standing up she pears out the window and watches the city lights. A frown crosses her face, "It's too quiet out." She mumbles.

Suddenly an agonizing pain shoots through her head. She lets out a small whimper of pain and hold her head with both hands, closing her eyes. An image flashes in her mind, and then again, and again and again, all different, yet the same. The pain stops just as fast as it came and she makes to sit down in her chair again, trying to get her breathing back under control.

"What the hell was that?" She lets out, rubbing her head. _The visions have never hurt before._ _Overwhelming, yes, but never painful. What was that?_

Letting out another breath she stares back out the window, but this time from her seat, her face full of concern.

 _A picture…a snake swallowing itself…each a different place…each a different child. What is going on in this city?_

Narrowing her eyes she breaths out, "That image…" _Why does it feel so familiar?_

* * *

 _Italics_ = Thoughts

 _Underlined Italics_ = Visions/ Texts

 _"Quote Italics"_ = Phone calls, Voicemails, Eavesdropping

 _For your disclaimer: I don't own anything! Please don't sue!_

 _Okay, so I realized after I went to check on the chapter that the document format I used got rid of all my italics and stuff, making it super confusing, so I fixed it! Hopefully it will stay now._

 _A/N: Okay, So here is the actual chapter, and yes, I realize that I followed the episodes word for word on the scene's and then not on others. I'd just like to say that this will only be for the first couple of chapters, then it starts to take its own route, but still kind of follow the story line in some scene's. I just need to start the story off like this to be my catalyst and tie Elena into the story, because I don't want to just throw her at the originals, if you all know what I mean._

 _Well, I hope you enjoyed the chapter none the less, next chapter will have a little more action and reunions, and twists!_

 _Thank you to those who reviewed, followed, and/or favorited this story! I appreciate your support! :)_

 _Tell me if you see any mistakes or screw up's in the writing, that way I can go back and fix it, thank you!_

 _Please tell me what you think per review, follow, or favorite, or all three, whichever you prefer, I enjoy constructive feedback! :D_


	3. Haunter of Ruins: Part 1

**Believer**

 **Chapter 2: Haunter of Ruins: Part 1**

Elijah listens to the birds chirping away in the morning dew, ruffling their feathers as the sun shines upon them and then fly off to enjoy the clear blue skies, as he reads the newspaper on the front porch, surrounded by his siblings. In other words, it was a well deserved peaceful morning among the Originals for once, but of course peace is never lasting among his family, thus his theory proven as his youngest brother, rather rudely, rips the newspaper from Elijah's grip, folding it with one hand as the other holds a glass of orange juice, probably with blood in it.

"You can catch up on the last five years after we are well on our way, I assure you that you haven't missed much." Kol tells his older brother.

Elijah remaining calm as ever replies while moving forward in his chair, "Circumstances have changed. We will leave here soon enough."

"We have a niece to consider." Rebekah softly says to Kol.

"Kol has a point." Freya interjects, standing up from her seat to stand next to Rebekah, arms crossed, "We need to put an ocean between us and Marcel Gerard as soon as possible."

"We're not going anywhere today. I want one day of peace with my daughter before we uproot her." Klaus says, a demanding tone undergoing his words as he looks at Freya. She gives him a blank, calculating look.

"Any delay is a risk." She argues.

" _One day._ We're in the middle of nowhere, we weren't followed, and I'm not asking!" He exclaims angrily. Just as he finishes, the door leading to the porch opens, revealing Hayley and a little red headed girl with freckles and her blue eyes wide as the siblings all freeze to look at her. Klaus's eyes widen as he stares at her, nerves rattling within him.

Hayley smiles nervously, "Everyone…look who's awake." She places her hand on the back of her daughters head in a comforting gesture.

"…Hello…" The little girl breaths out shyly and a little scared from the shouting she heard. Klaus looks at her with wonder.

"Hello…" He replies gently. Hope looks nervous and turns to her mother.

"Mom…can I go play in the garden?"

"Yeah, sure." Hayley comfort gently, rubbing the back of her daughters head. Looking downward to avoid the wonder filled stares of her Aunts and Uncles, she makes her way down the porch steps. Klaus watches her go, before turning around to look at Hayley with a dry expression which Hayley returns with a tight smile awkwardly before gesturing with her hand toward the other side of the porch.

"Come on, we need to talk."

"Yes, perhaps we do." Klaus replies, jaw clenched as he goes to follow her, leaving the rest of the siblings behind.

Having regained his composure, Kol turns back to Elijah, "I still say that we go and make a run for it while we can."

"Kol, I understand your concern about our families safety because of Marcel, but we _will_ give Klaus a day of peace with his daughter. We are safe for now as Hayley mentioned having a witch cast a spell to keep the grounds unnoticed." Elijah tries to tell his brother, watching as Kol's frown deepens and his eyes cloud in thought. _It can't be just Marcel that has him this worried,_ Elijah thinks, and then goes to ask, "Is there something more on your mind brother?"

"I just want to get as far away from this hell hole as possible, alright! " He exclaims.

Rebekah let out a snort, "Or maybe it has something to do with the mysterious someone with strange powers who came to our rescue?"

Freya frowns at this while Elijah raises a curious eyebrow and Kol glares at his sister.

"It has nothing to do with what happened!" He growls. Elijah sits back against his chair, tapping his finger against the arm rest.

"What do you mean sister?" Elijah asks in an even voice.

"Well, according to our brother darling, Kol, as he came to my rescue at the graveyard he almost would have ended up cold next to me if it wasn't for some odd person appearing and saving his arse." Rebekah explained haughty.

Kol narrowed his eyes at his younger sister, "First of all, I could have handled it, but excuse me for pulling arrows out of your back, sister dear. Would you have preferred it if I left them there?"

Rebekah rolls her eyes at him. Freya raises an eyebrow, "What do you mean…strange powers?"

Letting out a sigh Kol leans against the rail, "She appeared in a whirl of twisting clouds and she flung back an _entire group_ of vampires with her hand."

"And why do you think it strange? Plenty of witches can throw people back with a flick of their wrist. Perhaps it was just a powerful witch, one we must be careful of." Elijah reasoned, his fingers pushing against one another as his elbows where propped up against the arm rests. Kol shook his head, arms crossed.

"That was no witch brother. I don't know what she was but a witch can't do what she did, not to my knowledge…her energy was too potent."

Freya pursed her lips, "He's right. No witch could do what he described. We can do many things but teleporting isn't one I've ever seen nor heard of."

Elijah watched his brother stare a hole into the ground, brows furrowed in thought, "Is there something else on your mind Kol?" Looking up from the ground, Kol stares at Elijah, debating if he should even make a mention of it to his older brother. He let out a sigh, _Might as well._

 _"_ The person, well the girl…she sounded very…familiar."

Rebekah's head snaps his direction, "You failed to mention that yesterday. Don't tell me you're having delusions now." She frowned in concern.

"No, I'm not you _Bekah_!" He threw at her, her frown deepening at him.

"Never-mind that Kol. What do you mean familiar." His older brother asks.

Shaking his head Kol glances to the side, then back at Elijah, slightly nervous.

" _What_ is it Kol?" Elijah all but growled at him.

"Well…she sounded a bit like a someone from a dear old town we left years ago." He started, watching Elijah's eyebrows go up in surprise for a second, hearing serval breaths being taken in. "Like a certain, dear I say… _Doppelgänger._ The third of her kind, but one and only-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence Kol!" Rebekah spits out, growling.

" _-Elena Gilbert._ " He finishes smirking at his sister.

Elijah blinks for a moment and calmly gets out of his chair, now standing and walking over to grab a drink before turning back to his family, "What makes you so sure it's her?"

Kol let out a snort, "It's only been what? Eight or Seven since I last saw that little wench? And besides, one doesn't forget the voice of one of the people who've helped Kill one pointlessly." He finishes in a bitter tone.

Elijah frowns, last he heard anything from Mystic Falls was that Elena choose Damon and she got her humanity back, but that was years ago.

"You've got to be kidding me. Shouldn't she be in Mystic Falls enjoying her perfect little life with those stupid Salvatore's. Your'e imagining things Kol!" Rebekah argues.

"Let's say your theory is valid, what would Elena Gilbert be doing in New Orleans? And why would she try to save you and Rebekah of all people? I believe your dislike for her was recuperated." Elijah says calmly.

"And exactly who is this Elena Gilbert?" Freya spoke up in confusion, eyebrow raised in question.

"Just an annoying little doppelgänger wench from that dreaded town Mystic Falls. It's a long dreadful story." Rebekah says rolling her eyes at the thought of said girl and the town.

Elijah frowns as he looks at nothing in particular, "Yes, the lovely Elena made quite an impression on this family. However, it is of most import that no one, and I mean absolutely no one makes mention of this to Niklaus. Understood?" He speaks in his calm tone, although his siblings knew by now how much danger that tone held.

"Keeping secrets already Elijah? It's only been what? Two days!" Kol sneers as he smirks at his older brother. Elijah looks to him with a blank face.

"Let him have this one day. Please, just let us all have one day without all this ridiculous drama and we shall focus on the other tomorrow. One day of calm is all I ask Kol." He sighs.

"Well this is all peaceful and all, but I am quite famished. If you'll excuse me." Kol says with a grin and heads inside with Rebekah following.

Freya watches Elijah with interest as he is lost in thought, hand on his chin and mouth.

"This girl, you where fond of her?" She questions. Snapping out of his thoughts, he turns to her with a sad smile.

"I've never met someone who is as compassionate as her. One thing we have in common is the length we will go to, to protect our loved ones. There is a long…history there." He explains.

Freya smirks, "So I've heard. You seem to have an oddly complicated relationship with these Doppelgängers."

"And I am grateful each day that Elena did not turned out like her predecessors, even without humanity she never quite reached that capability." He tells her, his mind wondering back to their kiss years ago. Something Elijah thought he managed to keep away stirred within him. Ignoring whatever it was, he excused himself, heading inside.

* * *

Klaus and Hayley stood at the back of the porch away from the siblings, watching their daughter sit at the table in the garden and draw.

"She's terrified of me, what did you tell her?" He growls. Hayley just looks at him,

"Just that you're really old, that you'd do anything to protect her and that you love her." She says casually.

Klaus stares at her before accusing, "So was it that old hag, Mary? She's never liked any of our kind, she'd be one for such nonsense."

Hayley rolls her eyes at the man," Look, she's a sensitive kid, give her some time. I made sure that none of the bad that you, your family, and me has done, ever reaches her ears." She assures him, watching as he looks longingly out into the garden at the little girl, she let out a sigh.

"Klaus, you're everything she's ever dreamed of, you're her fairy tale prince. Don't disappoint her by doing something rash. Why don't you go to her and get to know her?" Hayley says, before leaving him to his thoughts.

Gathering his courage, he walks down to the garden and makes his way to the child slowly, as if trying not to scare her away. "That's lovely." He says with a gentleness he isn't quite used to, as he watches her paint.

She looks up at him, and he smiles at her, "Mom says you like to paint too." Curiosity in her eyes.

"I do, very much." He tells her. She looks back down on her picture unsure at first. Klaus looks away for a second, disappointed.

Getting a piece of paper from her pile, she stands and puts it across from her, giving him a look and pointing at the paper with her eyes. Klaus can't help put smile at his daughter, before going to sit down next to her and grabbing one of the brushes. They both sit in silence and Klaus smiles down at the paper, glancing over at Hope, watching a tiny smile grace her own lips.

* * *

Back at the Church in New Orleans, Vincent doing motions with his hands as he tries to cast yet another purification spell because of the events at the abandoned house while looking for the little boy, Adam, and his encounter with the blue light , over a large bowl with burning herbs

"I'm never gonna get used to that." Someone states, making Vincent stop and lean over.

"Will, thanks for coming man. Got any news for me?" Vincent asks the cop.

"Not the good kind. Adam Folsom isn't our only case. We've got three additional reports of missing kids." Will says, the tension in his voice evident. Watching Vincent let out a worried sigh, he says, "Look Vince…maybe this isn't your kind of case. Let me conduct an investigation and I'll let you know if anything Supernatural happens."

Walking up to Will, Vincent shakes his head, holding up an hand as he tells him," I need you to stay out of this one okay? I'm gonna need you to make sure the cops stay out of this too."

Will shakes his head dismissing what his friend said, "I'm not gonna leave you alone to deal with four missing kids."

"I'm not gonna be alone, I've got Marcel and his Vampires." The witch replies.

"I still don't trust Marcel." Will tells him hurriedly.

"I dont-"

"Yeah well thats just too bad. Because I'm the only guy here getting anything done." Marcel interrupts, walking up to the two as they turn to look at him, "One of my guys spotted some lights up by the old Strix mansion. The place has been boarded up for years, all the sudden, lock is busted off the front gate."

"I should call this in." Will says turning to Vince.

"Will, man, I'm trying to protect you!" Vincent bursts, a worried expression on his face. Looking at his concerned friend, Will purses his lips before giving him a look, "Fine…These kidnappings are going to his the press, Vince. My guess? You have till the end of the day, at best." He tells him, before turning to walk around Marcel and out of the church.

Watching the cop as he leaves, Marcel turns back to Vince, who gives him a look before moving past the Vampire breathing out, "Lets go."

Sensing the smoke, Marcel goes to look at the large bowl, noticing something, "Hey, hold up!" He calls to Vincent, moving to pick up the object," Weren't you just soaking this thing in lighter fluid this morning?"

Seeing Marcel pick up the notebook, Vincent's eyes widen, and with a scared expression on his face, he breaths out, "Marcel I want you to do me a favor, I want you to keep that book as far away from me as possible, and If I even try to come after it, kill me."

Marcel looks between Vincent and the book in concern, before putting the book down to follow the other man.

 _Damn it._ He thinks as he leaves.

* * *

Slamming another one of her books closed and letting out a groan as her head falls against the table, Elena feels like she might loose her mind. After searching all night through all the books on the supernatural that she could and what her mentor had let her borrow before she made her way on her own, she felt frustrated and

 _It's moments like these that I'm glad I no longer need to sleep…Funny how I'm put into a four year magical coma, only to wake up and find that I never need to sleep again._

Pulling herself off the table with massed up hair an annoyed expression, she gets up and walks into her kitchen, grabbing a cup of pudding from the fridge and a spoon.

"At least I can still eat when I feel like it." She grumbles, dipping the spoon in the cup and leading it to her mouth.

"You still livin' on them damn puddin' cups?" A voice with a southern twang to it teases.

Eyes wide, Elena spins around and looks at the newcomer, before letting out a sigh and placing her food on the counter.

"Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" She growls out annoyed at the person in front of her.

Running a hand through his short, spiked, dirty blond hair, his playful dark green eyes looking over at her, "And miss out on your butt in them cute lil' shorts?"

Elena rolls her eyes, "Why are you here Nathaniel?"

"Not even a 'Hello' chipmunk?" He teases her, watching her let out a sigh. She walks to him and warps her arms around him, which he returns as she mumbles a 'hey' into his chest. _He's a giant,_ she thinks. Taking a step back, she gives him a smile, before going to sit the her dinning chair she sat in earlier.

"So, whats up?" Elena asks, opening one of her journals.

"Just commin' to check in on ya, see how you're farrin' all on your own." He tells her looking around her apartment with amusement. "This a nice place you got for yourself. Plannin' on stayin'?"

Glancing at him with suspicion, she replies, "Just for a little while. There's something in this city that got my attention."

"Yeah, it's just crawlin' with Bloodsuckers, Mutts, and Magic, beggin' for someone to lay it in on em'." He smirks at her. Elena gave a sigh, before turning to the twenty-three year old looking man.

"Look, I know you're hear checking up on me because Alister sent you. You can tell him I'm doing fine, great in fact. I'm not a child, I've dealt with the supernatural penty of times before." She says annoyed, rolling her eyes.

Nathaniel sighs at being caught, "Fine, yeah old Al' sent me to check in on ya, but I'm worried about ya too. You've been keepin' away and can't blame him for thinkin' the worst. He's just trying to make sure you're alright."

Elena smiles, letting out a small laugh at his confession, " Don't let him hear you calling him that. I know, I'm sorry for not calling. I've been so caught up in some cases that I lost track of time. Oh, by the way…how did you get in my apartment? Actually, how did you find that I was in New Orleans?" She asks him, the suspicion back on her face.

Grining at her, he pulls out a pair of lock picks," Ya realize I was a thief before all this right? I don't need to use my abilities ALL the time, and well…I used my tracking abilities duh."

Groaning again, she sends him a look, "I don't know how I forgot that, you remind me every time I see you." He lets out a little laugh, before going to pat her on the head.

"Well, this was nice n' all, but I gotta head out." He tells her, moving his hands to his side.

"Right, tell Alister I'm still alive. " She says sarcastically.

"Right, right. Also, I got a date with a fine lady tonight at the place I'm stayin' at in Cali." He winks, with a smirk.

Laughing at his antics she goes to swat away his finger that went to poke her in the cheek, "Okay, I'll see you too then. Now, if you don't mind I have to go get ready and I'd rather not do it with you in my apartment, creeper."

Doing a mock salute, "Till next time, chipmunk." and with that he wooshed away, his laughter still in the air.

Crossing her arms, Elena shakes her head at her friend, _What am I gonna do with him?_ She thinks playfully. Looking back at her journal, she flips it to the latest page where she drew an image of the snake symbol. _Maybe I should have brought this up to him…well, it's to late now, I'll mention it next time._

 _With one last glance at the page, she turns around and walks into her bathroom, turning on the shower._

Back on the dinning table, the journal still lay open to the page with the drawing of the snake, which was taking on a slight blue glow in the eye of the snake.

* * *

Elijah walks into the sitting area of the house, smiling at his sister.

"Is this how you plan on spending such a peaceful day, sister?" He asks mockingly, sitting in the chair next to her. Rebekah lets out a laugh, for once a calm smile on her face, not the sarcastic once he's gotten so used to over the years.

"No, but I am enjoying the quiet for once. Of course Kol is off doing…who knows what." She tells him, her smile turns a bit sad as she watches her Niklaus painting outside with Hope.

"Yes, that is our brother, although something tells me that he won't be staying much longer. Kol's always been one to never settle. And you sister? Any plans you'd like to achieve?"

"Well, considering that my search for true love continues to evade me, I don't know what I want in this life anymore." She tells him sadly, "Everything seems so…surreal. Nik has changed, Hope has changed him so much from the man he used to be and he's genuinely happy for once. Elijah, tell me? Now that you are not burdened with trying to redeem our brother, what will you do?"

An uncertain frown grows on Elijah's face, his hand coming up to his chin, as he rests it on his palm. "Not quite, no. I can't help but feel like…something is coming."

Rebekah rolls her eyes at this, "This doesn't have anything to do with what Kol mentioned earlier? About a certain Doppelgänger?" Watching him close his eyes at the mention, "Really now Elijah? Surly our brother is simply delusional, besides what if it isn't your favorite doppelgänger and it's Katherine? Which really wouldn't make it better either way, they both suck, if you ask me."

Elijah couldn't help but smile at his little sisters rant. _Always the blunt one._ "It doesn't really matter at the moment. What matters is keeping our family safe."

Rebekah gives him a little smile, _Keep telling yourself that brother dear. You can hide behind your walls all you like, but I've known you for a thousand years._

 _"_ I need a drink." She says, and gets up, leaving Elijah to his thoughts.

Rebekah walks into the kitchen to see her brother drinking from the blond maid. "There you are. Where ever there are Booze and boobs and you're all set aren't you." She lets out sarcastically, _Such a messy eater,_ she thinks in disgust, watching the blood run down Kol's face.

"You know, I came in here to have a quiet bite a lone, thank you very much." He says annoyed.

"Well go find somewhere else, because I have some thinking to do and I'd like to do it over wine." She says opening a wine bottle and grabbing a wine glass. "And while you're at it, why didn't you tell me about your suspicion on who it was that saved us yesterday?" She asks annoyed.

Kol shrugged his shoulders, "It's just a suspicion, not something I fancy to be honest. I really don't want to end up owing my enemy a sense of gratitude."

His sister glares at him, " Well, lets hope it was just a fluke then and you really are just a paranoid bastard."

"You know, after five years of being trapped in a house together…here we are, trapped, in a house, together." He deadpans.

"Well at least this one doesn't have imaginary blood." She jokes at him, walking over to where he and the maid stood. Grabbing the other girls wrist up to her mouth, she bites, drawing in the blood and putting some in her wine glass, before walking back.

"It's not normal, living in each others pockets over the last thousand years. Paranoia, Betrayal, Violence, Repeat." Just as he says the last word, as if in a dream like state, the girl he feed on falls over, onto the ground. Glancing at the body for a second, and then back at his sister as she spoke up.

"While its normal you're after, I don't fancy the chances. Besides why all this melodrama all of a sudden?" She drawls looking at him. He jumps down from the counter and glares at his sister.

"While I was in there, I thought that the world would stop, but it didn't. The world kept moving, without Davina. You know, she would have been twenty-three today? And I wonder what she would have done with her time." Kol says sadly. A smile grows on his face, "She would have made the world a better place." Rebekah looks away from her brother, _She really did change my brother._ She thinks sadly.

"Meanwhile, we're here, breathing, and what are we doing?" He asks her pointedly, crossing his arms over his chests.

"Paranoia, Betrayal, Violence, Repeat." She sighs, answering him.

Kol nods his head in disappointment, his eyes wide and knowing.

* * *

Elijah stands on the porch watching nothing in particular, lost in thought. He takes in a breath and his hands in his pockets as he senses Hayley walk up next to him.

"Let me guess…you want the whole world to disappear." Elijah smiles jokingly at her.

"Not the whole worlds." She gently replies, "Hope can stay, maybe you. Klaus can visit on the weekends I guess." Her eyes cast downward, "I've betrayed a lot of people over the last five years Elijah. I've killed people just to cover my tracks just to keep Hope save. I was…ruthless."

Elijah looks at the ground listening to her, " You were a Mikaelson." He states, "You did what you had to do."

"The truth is, I'd do it all over again. I told myself it was all for Hope, but maybe I did it for selfish reasons too…" She tells him her eyes down cast again, unable to look him in the eye.

Unable to come with a response, Elijah turns around, so he was leaning against the reeling and takes her hand into his as he lifts it up to place a light kiss on her knuckles.

"I should be happy right now. But there's one of my kind, miserable and scared, and she doesn't deserve to be there." She tells him.

"Release her." He simply says.

"If Marcel finds you…"

"We can't do this forever." Elijah states, "Your life is more then a salvation to the Mikaelsson family, now trust me, you'll lose yourself. You are good, Hayley. Yes we all make mistakes, but you are better than the Marcel and the Mikaelson's."

Looking away from Elijah's eyes, she stares out into the forest nodding her head. Pulling her hand from his, she says, "Thank you, Elijah." Before turning and making her way down to the barn.

Bursting through the doors, Hayley hurriedly walks up to the werewolf and takes off the mask that extracts werewolf venom from her and throws it to the side.

"What-" Keelin starts off, surprised.

"Your free to go." Hayley simply says. Without needing to be told more, Keelin moves past the woman, but Hayley grabs her per arm, whispering in her ear, "Make no mistake, you are the last of your pack meaning you _will_ be hunted. You need to disappear."

Frowning as she senses someone come toward the barn, she adds, " Someones coming, go!"

The curly hair werewolf runs to the window and jumps out. Seconds later, Freya storms into the barn looking furious.

"You let her go?!"

"I had to set her free." Hayley replies. Freya glares at her.

"Had to what? Sentence my family to death? I have to find her." She sneers, before trying to walk out of the barn, but Hayley grabs her at vampire speed and pins her by her throat.

"I don't think so." She says firmly.

"Move" Freya says as she uses her powers to throw Hayley back, releasing herself, "I can do much worse. Stay out of my way."

Hayley stands up, wincing, "Freya stop! We have enough venom to make a cure and we don't need an endless supply. Lets just get on the road and leave all this behind." Hayley tries to explain.

"Marcel could give views of his blood out to anyone! We can't avoid a threat that could be everywhere!" She argues back.

"Keelin shouldn't suffer for that!" Hayley glares, making Freya let out a bitter laugh.

"Oh and suddenly you're the arbitrary of right and wrong?" The witch taunts.

"I've done plenty of things in my life that are wrong, but I have a sweet and innocent daughter who's going around healing fireflies! If she finds out we're keeping someone captive in our barn she's gonna ask questions."

"Then tell her that the worlds a bad place and that sometimes we have to do bad things to survive. She'll learn to keep herself save early." Freya explains with bitterness.

Hayley looks at her in disbelieve, _Are you kidding me?_ " It's not her job to keep herself save! It's mine, it's our's! And that means protecting her innocence!"

"She's a Mikaelson, she can live without her _innocence!"_ The witch spits out.

"You mean like you did?" Hayley throws back, growling. Freya glares, at the jib the wolf threw at her.

"What she needs is her family! She's a Mikealson, she-"

"Enough." Elijah interrupts with his dangerously calm tone, "Before you say something you'll regret". Freya smirks at the arrival of her brother, _He'll agree with me, surely._

"Thank you brother, now if you'll excuse me…I have a wolf to hunt." But just as Freya turns around, Elijah speeds in front of her, glaring. Freya lets out breath of disbelieve, _Don't they understand the danger we are in!_

 _"_ You will let her go." He orders. She gives him a look, pursing her lips.

"FIne." And she storms around and out of the barn, _Time to find me a werewolf._ She thinks, heading to the house.

* * *

 _Thoughts_

 _Visions_

 _"Eavesdropping, Telephone conversation."_

 _A/N: And here is part 1 of that episode/chapter! I had to split it into 2 parts because this chapter reached over 8000 words and I wasn't even done with it, so you got some twists, some new scenes, some old with new things in the scenes. So I hope you enjoyed that! Also I'd like to say that on the behalf of this story, Elijah and Hayleys relationship status is resting in limbo currently, so like it was when she was with Jackson. I'm basically needing the window open to form the ships, and back up plans incase one ship doesn't work and another does with the whole Elena; is it gonna be Elijah or Kol. But both ships will need a good ground to work up from, since I don't just want to throw her at either and have it be done with._

 _Thank you for the reviews last chapter! I really appreciate the feedback, and those who followed and favorited either me or the story! It lets me know to keep going and that people like it so thanks!_

 _Please leave further reviews, follows, and faves and let me know what you all think! Part 2 will have more of my own stuff added in and should be ready to go by tonight or tomorrow, depending on how bad my fingers will hurt by the end._

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing!_


	4. Haunter of Ruins: Part 2

_**Believer**_

 **Chapter 2: Haunter of Ruins: Part 2**

Getting out of the shower, Elena walks over to her draws putting out clothes when she was hit with another painful vision. Not being able to close her eyes, she stumbles backwards onto her bed.

 _Four children taken and unconscious in an abandoned mansion. Strange blue light. Snake eating itself. Two men, a witch and a vampire being killed._

Snapping out of it, Elena felt a headache come in. Shaking her head to clear her mind, she searches through the images again, but the visions came so fast that she didn't have time to concentrate on what the abandoned mansion looked like fully.

"Damn it!" She growls out angrily, getting of the bed and paces. _Now how am I supposed to get there in time to get those kids! And that damn blue light with that stupid snake! But…at least I have a lead on what's in this city finally!_

Letting out a frustrated sigh, she rubs her forehead, "Guess I'm not that immune to headaches after all." Grumbling she gets herself ready and thinks, _I'll have to ask some local if there are any abandoned mansions around…that won't look suspicious at all._

Dressed in her usual attire of black skinny jeans that are stretchy, a green short sleeved shirt, with a tan jacket and her usual black combat boots, Elena walks over to her dresser, opens it, and grabs something covered in a thick clothe. Carefully unfolding it, it reveals a medium length silver dagger, the handle made of metal, and bones of a bird, which both swirled around Hematite stone. The bones encrypted with symbols to small for the human eye to read, making it look like a design of swirls.

Running a finger over the edge of the tailing point blade, down to the serrations near the hilt of the blade, Elena smiles softly at it before placing it inside her jacket, hidden from the wandering eyes. Letting out a breath of nervousness, she said, " Well, lets go safe some kids."

Within seconds she disappears and appears in her usual alleyway. Looking around, she casually walks out, making sure her barrier is over her, so no one notices her. Walking over to the popular bar, she goes inside, eyes grazing over the people inside, looking for someone familiar.

Spotting Josh, she puts on a charming smile, replaying a story in her head that wont make her look too suspicious.

"Hey Josh!" She calls out to him, making him turn his head toward her and smile. _He's really adorable._ She thinks walking toward him.

"Hey…Elena." He says hesitant, remembering yesterday. "What can I do for you?" He asks, putting the hesitation away.

"Well, I've been hearing about this Abandoned Mansion some people I go to class with and I was wondering if its real, you know since I'm new and all." She watches his eyes widen in fear for a second. Clenching his jaw as he grips a glass he was holding, he sets it down, _Why would she want to know about the Strix mansion? What if she's one of the bad guys after all?_

"Why would you want to know about that old thing?" _Gotchya!_ Smiling she tilts her head in confusion.

"Is there something wrong with it?" She asks.

"Look, Elena, stay away from that place. It's old and ratty and dangerous. Tell your friends that their better off not going anywhere near it." Letting out a sigh, _Even now, I'm still not good at playing coy,_ she glances behind her, before looking back at Josh and extends her barrier around the Vampire.

"Okay, I have my reasons, but I need to know where it is. I put a barrier around us, no one will overhear." She stresses. Josh narrows his eyes at her. Looking around he tells her,

"And tell me why I should help you, for all I know you could be planning something?" He asks casually, picking up a glass and cleaning it with a rag.

"Because it you don't, four kids will die, along with two men. I have…visions of sorts. They only come in the most fatal situations, and let me tell you, they will come true if something isn't done." She explains calmly. The mans eyes widen at her words.

"So…what you're a witch? Why should I believe you?" He throws back at her suspiciously.

Running out of patience, she lets out an annoyed huff, before plastering a sweet smile on her face, _Screw it, I'll have to pull a Damon…Katherine…Hell, maybe it's a Klaus. Bad cop? Lets stick with that._

 _"_ You might wanna believe me because I'm not a witch, nor a vampire, or a werewolf, but I'm more than capable of making you experience Hell on earth if you don't tell me where the mansion is. Otherwise the consequences of those children dying will be on you. I like to protect humanity Josh, don't make me change my mind about you." Letting him go, she sits back in a chair, still smiling at him.

Josh gulps in fear. _Somehow I'm more afraid of her, then I am of Elijah. There's something…odd …about her. If she's telling the truth about those kids…what if it's those kidnaped kids that Vince talked about? And oh god, why does this have to be so difficult!_

"Alright fine, I'll tell you. Just…don't let anyone know that I'm the one who told you." He says, letting out a sigh of defeat. _Self-Preservation?_ She thinks. Elena listens as he gives her directions to the mansion. Nodding, she lets out a hurried thanks and walks out of the bar and signals for a taxi. Getting in and giving the old man in the front directions on where to go, they drive away.

Lost in thought during the ride, she thinks guiltily, _One minute I'm acting all protective, the next I'm threatening him. This life sucks sometimes, but I'm protecting a lot of people by doing it…_

Coming up to the edge of a dirt road, she asks him to stop there, signaling the end of the drive. The old man looks at her and raises an eyebrow, "You sure this the right place? You're not getting into any trouble are ya now?"

Elena shakes her head at him and smiles, "Just a little nature walk to clear my head." _Not a complete lie._

 _"_ Well alrighty then. That'll be $15 for you little lady." He tells her, although the underlining suspicion was still there. She hands him the money and gets out of the car, smiling and giving him a last wave before she watches the car drives off for a second before heading down the dirt path. _Am I really that bad at lying today?_ She things miserably as she walks the path, kicking a rock.

Closing her eyes, the listens to her surrounding as she walks, feeling the energy that nature gives off. Smiling as birds in the background chirp happily and _bunnies I think?_ Hop around.

Opening her eyes at the sound of a car engine in the distance heads her way and fast, she disfigures and fly's up high into a tree, hiding and watching a Black and White car zooms past. Narrowing her eyes at the faces she somewhat recognized, he eyes narrow and she follows behind, her cloud-self hidden by the trees. As the car comes to a stop infinite of a gate, her eyes widen, _Bingo!_ Forming back into her physical features, she moves to the ground, making sure her 'notice-me-not' barrier was in place as she hides behind a tree, pressing her back into the bark as she listens to their conversation.

"Now I know you've seen a lot of crazy over the years," One man says, the _bald one, from the bar, "_ But I've never seen you scared. So are you gonna tell me what we're up against here?" He asks the other man, closing the door of the car.

"The past; your past, my past." The man with hair says, pointing from the bald one to himself. Elena raises an eyebrow with interest at this, " A few years ago when you where ruling this city with an iron fist, you had a lot of witches terrified at every single turn." He explains.

"I was protecting Davina." The other man answers with a cold stare. _The grave from yesterday…_ Elena thinks, recognizing the name.

"Yeah well, I had something to protect too! And I wanted to take you down Marcel." The guy tells Marcel, a nervous smile on his face. He looks away from Marcel, "For my wife, for my unborn kid. Sooo, I started to look for all forms of magic that you can't defend against. Couldn't find anything, until one day that notebook just sits there on my table. It's an instruction manual; sacrificial magic, but it's not something I've seen practiced anywhere before."

"Come on Vince, it's not like you're the first witch in New Orleans to practice sacrificial magic." Marcel says.

"This is not to the ancestors! This is something different, something _older_ than the ancestors, and the book never gave it a name." Vince tells him.

"Okay, so _who_ gave you the book? A witch must have tampered with it."

"Thats the thing Marcel, the books written in my handwriting!" He says, his voice pitching slightly at the end. A nervous, scared laugh escapes Vince, "And I don't remember writing it."

Listening to the two men's conversation, Elena's eyes narrow at " _Something older than the ancestors" If I learned anything over the passed years surrounded by the supernatural, it's that ancestors have a way of bitting you in the ass. But older? This sounds a lot like something Alister told me about once, but I can't put my finger on it!_ Deciding to reveal herself to them, she pushes off the tree and walks around it, toward the two.

"Well, whatever you did, it's been giving me headaches ever since I stepped foot into this town." She says casually, standing next to Marcel and looks up at the gate with a blank expression.

Snapping his eyes to the side of her face, Marcel's eyes widen, before they turn into a piercing glare, "And just who the hell are you?" _And how come I didn't sense you coming?_ He silently growled.

Vincent blinks at the strange girl, _she's young…but how did Marcel not notice her? Or did he? Headaches…maybe she knows._ He looks around behind him before staring back at her, "Where you here this entire time?"

Taking her eyes from the gate and targeting them on the vampire…hybrid, she's seen at the Bar often enough, she tilts her head before giving a tired smile. " Yeah, sorry I had to listen in on your conversation but it's the only way I can gather information without having attention drawn toward myself…I'm Elena, by the way ." Her hands move into the pockets of her jacket before looking back at the gate.

 _She looks a little familiar._ Marcel things before opening his mouth again," Yeah well…Elena…I don't take kind to strange people coming up to me in dire situations, people who apparently get _headaches_ from other strange supernatural things in _my_ city." He glares.

Shrugging at him, she simply says, " Your City? I don't see your name on it? Are we in kindergarten? Or maybe you're the Vampire Mayor? Because that one would be new…Anyway, I don't care what you like and don't like. I care about fixing what's poisoning this city."

Growing angry at her words, Marcel moves at vampire speed at her, only to bounce back and feel like he hit a brick wall. Staring at her with angry eyes, he watches a small smile form at the corner of her mouth as she continues to look at the gate with calculating eyes.

"Yeah, you might not want to do that." Turning toward the men, "May I ask who you two are?"

"Marcel Gerard, and I'm king of this city, so you better start liking my likes and dislikes or you might not enjoy this city much further." He threatens. The girl stares at him blankly, before ignoring him and turning to Vince. _King? Seriously, what is he Klaus 2.0? Urg._ Elena groans internally.

Hesitant, Vince steps forward, "I'm Vincent…you know what this thing is?"

Elena purses her lips and looks at his eyes, full of hope at the thought of her knowing. Letting out a sight, "Maybe…I don't know. I've been getting some…visions, flashes of images really about this servant eating itself and children. The symbol seems familiar, and I had a flash of this place, but since it's in the wood, I had a bit of a hard time to find it, but thanks to a local and following your car when it came down the path…Anyway, its familiar, yet something about it is off." She explains leaving out the part where she's heard of what Vince described before, nut not knowing for sure nor wanting to raise any hope, _I'll just keep that out for now at least._

Turning back to the gate, she narrows her eyes at it, before lifting her hand and flinching her finger tips a little, making the gate burst open and breaking one of the doors off its hinges. The Hybrid and Witch jump back at the burst. Letting out a grimace, she sighs in disappointment at her hand. _Too much power, gotta work on that._

 _"_ So you're just another witch then. Figures." Marcel sneers. Elena rolls her eyes at him, _He's making this difficult._

 _"_ That's insulting. But no, I'm not a witch, I'm not a Werewolf, Hybrid or Vampire. So…can we get on with this and _please_ try and figure out whats going on in this city and save those kids? I'm a bit on a time scrunch since the visions only happen within a certain time frame of the event." Without any further ado, she walks into the gates area.

"I got a bad feeling about this." Marcel grumbles, turning to Vince, who sighs and gives his vampire friend a shrug.

"I say we give it a shot. Worst comes to worst, we have another thing to worry about in this damn city." Vince answers.

Marcel rubs his forehead, "As if I don't have enough to worry about. That girl…is strange. What kind of barrier was that? And the way she…basically blew the gate up."

Vincent frowns in thought, _Now that I think about it…"_ I don't know…Didn't even know it was there, I couldn't feel it. As for the blowing up part…yeah I don't know man."

Marcel groans, _Great. Just…fucking great._ "Come on, we better catch up, before things get worse." The two hurry up to catch up with the strange girl, Elena.

* * *

Hayley searches for Elijah later that evening, after the events with Freya and Keelin, until she finds him under the makeshift gazebo in the garden. Sitting in the chair, legs crossed, with his chin in his hand as he leans on that arm, she knew he was deep in thought.

"How many miles away are you?" She asks, teasingly, sitting down next to him.

Glancing back at her, a smile forms on his face and he removes his hand, dropping it into his lap.

"Somewhere in New York or Virginia, I haven't quite made up my mind yet." He answers, he smiles slightly. Hayley raises an eyebrow at this.

"Really now?"

"Many years ago, I've made a decision that I regret to this very day. I suppose part of me paid for that mistake later on, about a year after the incident." Was all he told her. They sat in silence for a few moments.

"What was her name?" Hayley asks quietly, staring out at the garden.

"I believe you've met before, back in Mystic Falls." He answered with a broody expression. "She and I have a complicated relationship of making negotiations and promises and breaking them, yet we still kept coming to one another for help. Last time I saw her, she had her humanity turned off and we've had an exchange of words."

The brunette nods her heard, her eyes wide in a bit of disbelieve, "Elena Gilbert. You know, I'm not surprised after all I've heard about the doppelgängers and your history with them." She tells him calmly.

"Yes, I suppose history had a way of repeating itself. Somehow the most complicated one seems to be Miss Gilbert. There always was an odd chemistry between us. Uncharted territory if you will… even now."

"She's all the way in Mystic falls, living her vampire life with Damon now Elijah, don't you think its time to leave the past where it is?" She tells him gently, touching his shoulder.

Elijah shakes his head, "It's not quite about the past. Not entirely at least. Kol, he mentioned that when he went to save Rebekah from the cemetery, something odd happened; a girl showed up in a twirl of clouds, saving the both of them from being staked. He said she sounded like Elena, but he wasn't sure because her energy was potent."

Hayley's eyebrows rose in shock and then dawned of realization, "You think she's in New Orleans. But why would she be? Are you sure Kol isn't imagining things?" She says the last jokingly. Elijah smiles at her,

"Well, I must say that my brother has quite the imagination. However, it is important that Niklaus does not find out about this. I am not certain what he will do once he finds out she's here."

"Even after all these years and everything you've done to each other, you still care for her. I get it Elijah, I really do and I can't blame you for it. Even now with Jackson gone for five years…I can't entirely move on yet, not until I feel like I'm not throwing all of his efforts to help me away."

Elijah stays quiet, and they both shared a look of understanding, sitting and listening to the sound of nature, thinking back on the past.

* * *

After bringing Hope inside after their little walk through the garden once they where done painting, and her mentioning about being cold, Klaus now sat by a desk, looking at his daughters images while she slept in her room. Hearing his sister walk into the study he says with delight,

"My daughter is an art prodigy."

Rebekah lets out in a breathy and teasing tone, "Well she's far better than you ever where." Walking toward his desk, "Granted the bar is very low."

"True art is lost to the feeble minded." Klaus answers her mockingly as he smirks up at her from the pictures. Rebekah smiles down at him, and his smirk replaced with a smile, which turns downward quickly as he notices the look on his sisters face.

"Kol wanted me to say goodbye." She tells him carefully.

"Well, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Whats he chasing this time?" He asks, the disappointment in his eyes clear as day.

"Does it matter? He'll return." Rebekah smiles.

"He always was a selfish git." Klaus smirks again.

"He died twice and spent five years in Freyas beige dream land. You can forgive him a bit of wanderlust." Her voice gentle.

"I don't see _you_ packing your bags." He states back quietly, but the looks that suddenly grew upon her face let him know otherwise. He looks away from her, and Rebekah goes to sit in front of him, grabbing his hand into her own.

"Nik, you do not need me anymore. I know that I'm your favorite sibling and of course I adore you, but lets face it, my heart wants something more. I want love. I want a family of my own. And wouldn't it be nice if we could part on happy terms for once? No daggers, no exile, just 'so long for now, see you again soon.'" She gently explains to him, tears threatening to fall frothier eyes.

Klaus looks at her, a blank expression on his face as he is unable to fully look her in the eyes. He lets out a difficult sigh, and pulls her hand toward him, pulling her up so they where both standing, now looking her in the eye.

"You where the only one who never treated me like a misfit. For centuries my only place was by your side. Now I belong beside my daughter. And I suppose you deserve to find your place in the world as well." He lets her know, his own tears now threatening to fall.

Rebekah smiles up at him and warps her arms around his neck, hugging him, "Thank you." She breaths out, and he returns the embrace."

* * *

Keelin carefully checks her surrounding before heading to some old bar's parking lot. Sensing danger, she ran to the car, trying to break into the vehicle, but seeing the witch who kept her captive in the bar so brutally, she started running, but a pain in her head came so strong she feel to the ground in pain, until she fell to the ground, unconscious.

Freya walks up to her and sighs, "Sorry, but I need you for just a while longer." Using her strength, she lifts the wolf girl by the waste, and an arm around her shoulders, like a friend would carry another drunken friend. Carefully placing her in the back seat, making sure she wasn't hurt to badly, the blonde gets into the front and drives back to the house.

Once arriving she uses her magic to make carrying the wolf easier into the barn, and creating a magical barrier around her, so she wouldn't escape.

* * *

As they near the Strix mansion, a pain shot through Elena's head, and she releases a groan, making the men turn and look in concern. Letting out a breath, "We're getting closer. Its like it's sending me a warning." She says, clutching her head, "Ahhhhrrrrr." She cries as the acid like pain came at full force and she falls to the ground. Vince moves to help her up, but she shakes her head, "I'll be fine, just give me a minute. Go and take care of what you came for."

Not taking another second, Marcel speeds into the Mansion, Vincent not far behind him. Finally alone, Elena's breaths grow into pants and she bites her lip as another pain shot through her head, _Four children, their eyes clouded, white and soulless._ Eyes snapping open, her eyes full of panic as she turns to the mansion. Hissing as another wave of pain came, she stands up with determination and runs off into the mansion, ignoring the pain as best as she could. _Damn it. Shit, shit shit, Damn it, No no no. Fuck. No!_ Her mind goes into panic.

Huffing as she senses the familiar energy again, she stops walking and stands in shock. _Thats…oh god…_ Closing her eyes in concentration, she disfigures into a whirl of clouds, which shots through the hallway, toward where the energy is in a burst. Seeing in her state as the a strange witch in a room full of candles was giving Marcel an aneurysm and four children fall to the ground, eyes empty, she refigured in her human body, pulls out her dagger and slams the witch up against the wall with her power, putting one arm against his neck and placing the tip of her dagger against his chest with her other hand.

"What the _hell_ are you thinking of, messing around with that? Do you have _any idea what that thing could bring upon this world?!_ " She growls. He grins at her with crazy eyes. Regaining his balance, Marcel goes to stand and watches her, as he goes to pull Vincent up.

"Soon it will be completely free. The world will stand at its mercy and _no one,_ not them, not you, _nothing will be able to stop it!_ You can't save those children! They belong to it now. _"_ He laughs, "Vincent set it free, gave it breath! Now it must be feed!"

She feels him try to use his magic against her, but her barrier stops it. His eyes widen, "No! Why isn't it working! It promised it would work!" Looking her in the eye, he sees a flash and his eyes grow bigger, fear and terror in his eyes, "You! You are-"

But before he was able to finish, she drove the dagger in his heart and watches the magic and life drain out of him. Stepping back she lets the body fall to the floor and steps around it. Marcel stands up in shock as he looks at the girl and then at the blade, but then snapping his gaze over at the kids, before his eyes land on a table with items on it. Slowly he walks over to it.

"The kids." Vincent says and hurries to where the bodies lay. "Guys, the spells already in motion and it's stringing the life out of these kids."

"Vincent…what the hell is this?" Marcel demands. Vincent stands and turns to a table, picking up an object.

"The witch, he used the kid's personal items to bind them to the spell. I know this magic, I-I can revers this." The witch says and he turns and bends, chanting a spell.

* * *

After Rebekah had left, Klaus sat in the chair in front of the fire place continuing to go through Hope's drawings, smiling at them. When he came upon a picture of a beast like creature, its body black and a red eye. Klaus's eyes looks closer at the creature eating its self, when he heard movement behind him.

"Dad?" Hope says weakly. Quickly he goes to kneel down infant of her.

"What is it darling?" He asks in concern when he notices the sweat covering her forehead. Putting his hands on he small shoulder, he felt her burning up.

"Dad, I think somethings wrong." She says, her wide blue eyes looking into his own, "I had a dream about a bad man. He was hurting these kids and…I think he hurt me too."

Klaus's eyes widen as she spoke, "I feel dizzy and…my head hurts." She winces as she says this.

Her fathers eyes grow with panic, " Hayley!" He calls out, not knowing what to do.

Hayley runs inside the house with Elijah, watching blood start to drip from her daughters nose. Hayley own eyes grow wide in worry, taking her daughter into her arms.

"Mom, I'm so cold." Hope says weakly.

* * *

Frowning at the kids, Elena steps toward them and runs her hand across one girls face, fingers tracing the edges as she runs them to her eyes and opens them slightly. Her frown deepens at the sight of cloudiness disappears.

Pulling her hand back and letting it drop to her side. _This is bad._

The kid's bodies jerk and they each start to wake up and open their eyes in a daze. "Vincent?" One dark skinned boy asks in confusion as he rapidly blinks.

"Yeah man, yeah you're okay!" Vince says in a cherry tone, hugging the boy.

 _Is he trying to convince the kid or himself?_ Elena couldn't help but think. She goes to help some of the rest of the children up, smiling at them in reassurance and leaving her bloody dagger at a table.

"How do you feel?" She asks one of them gently.

"I wanna go home." The little girl responds.

"Well, get you home soon enough, but first were gonna get you all checked at the hospital alright? Just be patient."Vince tells them, receiving a nod back. _They seem to respect him._ Elena thinks, _Maybe I can trust them with half the truth…would that be bending the rule? Alister would kill me._

The three of them help the kids stand up, when Elena glances over at the table and frowns again.

"Hey, there are five totems, but only four kids." She tells them.

Marcel looks over and a worried look crosses his features, "Then where's the other kid?"

Walking up to the table, Elena looks at the items before feeling a pull to the hair brush. Gently, she picks it up and turns it around. Behind her, Marcel lets out a curse under his breath. Eyes tracing the crest of an 'M' on the brush, she knew immediately who the fifth child was.

"I'll go call an ambulance for the kids." Marcel says, walking out of the room they where in. Vincent makes sure the kids have a place to sit until help arrives, he moves back toward the table with the totems, his eyes growing sad and tired.

"Earlier…you mentioned about keeping your wife and unborn child safe from Marcel…may I ask what happened to them?" Elena asks after a few moments of silence, setting her doe eyes, wide and confused on Vincent. His jaw clenches slightly at the memory of his family, before glancing at her from the corner of his eyes, remembering her listening in on a very private moment in his life. Letting out a sigh, he decided, _Might as well tell the rest of the tragic story of my life._

"This thing…it didn't destroy me nearly as much as it destroyed my wife. She noticed how I haven't been sleeping, trying to achieve this goal. One night, she realized that maybe what needed to be sacrificed was something more then an animal, something with a stronger connection. She sacrificed her beloved bird…it worked, but something went wrong with the spell. Eva..she began to lose her mind. Children where starting to go missing. Some witches and I tried to purify her one night and something went horribly wrong. And my unborn child? I don't know…I just…I ruined everything, I should have never messed with that kind of magic." He hisses harshly, glaring at the totem of leaves and twigs binding together to form the symbol of the snake eating itself.

The girls simply watches the emotions pass Vince's face, not knowing what to do. _This man is…almost hollow on the inside._ Looking away from him, Hope's brush still in her hand, she concentrates on the energy around her. _Everything is so cold, so…dead._

Marcel walks back inside, "The ambulance is here, come on guys you're going home." Yawning and grumbling tiredly, the kids follow behind Marcel. Vincent mentions purifying the place, now that they're gone, but even as he does so, Elena can still feel a residue of cold energy float about the room. _It's much more powerful then they can even begin to understand._

Elena tuns and puts the brush back onto the table, she takes in an unnoticed breath, _Vincent can heal Hope. He'll need to meet with the Mikaelson's, but I think its best that they don't know that I'm in this city yet. First…first I need to make some calls, before I even try to explain to them_ ** _exactly_ **_what this is._

Turning around to see Marcel walk back in side, saying that he loaded the children into the ambulance, she spoke up in a monotone voice, "Everything is taken care so far…I believe its best if I go now, I don't want to intrude anymore then I've done already. I'm sorry about eavesdropping by the way."

"Wait!" Marcel calls out as she turns. She stops and looks at him, waiting. Marcel shifts on his feet, looking very uncomfortable, "The least I could do is thank you for saving us back there…that wasn't something I've ever seen before. I would like to know _what_ you are…"

Elena smiles secretly at him, " There's no need for thanks, it's my job. Although the gesture is always welcomed and appreciated. As for that other bit…There are a lot of things out there in this universe, things that are a lot bigger and more dangerous than vampires, werewolves, witches, or _any kind of hybrid or other supernatural."_ She takes in the flash of worry that crosses his face and sighs, "My point is…some things are best left in the unknown." And without another word, she disappears in a twirl of smoke.

"Tell me that wasn't weird at all." Vincent says from his corner. Marcel shakes his head.

"Definitely weird." Looking at Vincent he says, " Well now to the big picture. You saved those kids, looks like you're a hero." Marcel finishes, smiling. Although Vincent doesn't look as thrilled.

"Adam could have died, all those kids could have died. And if Hope Mikaelsson is linked to that spell, she's gonna die. We need to get her back here so I can purify her. And cast a cleansing spell on New Orleans soil."

"I just got them out of this town Vince!" Marcel growls.

"Well, bring em' back Marcel! She's a kid, and she's practically your sister." Vincent tells him, poking at wounds he knew were dangerous. Marcel give Vince a hard look, but lets out a sigh.

"Look, I'll send them a message, get them down here and get m'out ASAP alright? We don't have a choice, this thing…it's bigger then anything we've fought before. And it is angry if it decided to come after those kids."

* * *

Hayley was laying against the back of the arm rest, with Hope's head on her chest. She watches worriedly as the little girl was breathing unevenly in her sleep, stoking her hair in comfort as Freya tries to see whats wrong with Hope.

Shifting a bit in her seat, Hayley felt something stranger in her pocket, moving her hand to see what it is, she pulls out a note.

Klaus looks at her, brow raised in question, "What is it?"

Reading the note, she looks up at both Elijah and Klaus with a worried look, "It's from Vincent, he knows whats wrong with Hope. He says he can heal her."

"No, absolutely not!" Klaus growls, the idea of this being a trap angering him.

Elijah straightens and puts a hand on his brothers shoulder, "As much as I don't like this Klaus, this is the only option we have. Hope isn't getting any better."

"I hate to say this but if Vincent says he knows what wrong with her, then you might not have a choice. Whatever is wrong with Hope, it is dark. I've never felt anything like it." Freya says standing next to Klaus.

"Fine! I will go to New Orleans and sort this out myself!" Klaus insists but Elijah stops him again.

"No. We will go and handle this as a family." He tells him carefully, "It is much to dangerous to go by yourself." Klaus nods in agreement in the end.

* * *

Elena walks toward Rousseau's after disappearing from the Mansion. With a solemn smile, she heads inside, the bar being almost empty, she notes. A few customers strewn in a couple of booths and tables, she decides to take a seat at the bar.

"Come to hold promise of your threat." Josh says, somewhat casual, yet annoyance and playfulness at the same time. Letting out a sigh, she shakes her head.

"No, thats taken care off." She tells him. He watches from the corner of his eye as her expression looks lost.

"You sure, because you look like someone died." He tells her. Letting out a snort at this, Elena runs her hand through her hair.

"It's just…I feel like I finally had my life back in order and yet it really wasn't. It's never been in order. All this supernatural, even just _knowing_ about it, it eats away at your soul if you don't hold onto it. Ever since I got mixed up in this, even back when I was still human, my morals and everything I believed in has been tested and twisted so much that who I though I was, isn't really me, but it is a part of me. I'm starting to realize that who I am is a lot more complicated then I've ever thought to anticipate."

"That sounds like you had a rough time, but why are you telling me all this? I mean, not to be rude, but you don't seem like the kind to spill their feelings out to anyone." Josh asks in confusion.

Letting out another sigh, she looks at him with tired eyes, "Tonight I am. What I am, it has two sides that turn into one. Light and dark, they turn into the grey. Sometimes one tries to overshadow the other, and I try to hold onto the good part as much as I can. I wanted to apologize for what I did earlier. You didn't deserve to be threatened that way, for something you had nothing to do with."

"Well, I can tell you one thing I've seen over the short years of being a vampire." He tells her, a smile on his face as he goes to grab two shot glasses and sits them on the counter in front of her. "And that is that I have never heard an apology from someone for what they did and acknowledge it with such sincerity." He pours tequila into the glasses from the bottle he grabbed underneath the bar, and sits it back down, "That in itself, seems like someone who isn't so bad. Truth is, after the death of my best friend," He looks at a picture with the brunette and a blonde, "I struggled real hard trying to be good. She kept me together through all of this, but I remember her words and the world feels like a better place. We all struggle to hold onto the good inside of us, but it's not impossible."

Elena looks at him with a genuine smile and raises her shot glass, " Let's drink to that." Josh nods and raises his own.

"To the struggle of being supernatural." He says, smiling.

Laughing, she says, " To the good inside of us."

Clicking their glasses against on another, they throw back their shots.

* * *

Freya waited a few minutes, before she felt the other girl shift around and wake up.

"I know what you're thinking. I'm the _wicked_ witch of your story." Freya says with somewhat of a smile, "But if I could track you down that means plenty of other people could too. The only difference is, they all want you dead. My family needs you alive." Freya says looking at Keelin, who was now standing with her arms crossed, "Be grateful for that."

Keelin glares at the witch, "Oh you want a thank you? Come closer, I'd love to show you my gratitude."

Freya rolls her eyes, when the girls wrists got her attention." You're a wolf, why aren't you healing?"

Keelin snorts at her, "Oh now you suddenly care? You know, you're not very good at this whole kidnapping thing." She draws her lips into a hard line when the blond shot her a look, "I was out on a hike with a friend who also studies medicine like me. Slipped and scratched myself on a rock, she came over and wanted to patch me up, next thing she knows, the wound is gone, like I never even cut myself. You can imagine how difficult that is to explain without looking like some sort of freak? The thing is, we are all biological organisms, even the supernatural, so I started studying myself."

"And you found away to stop yourself from healing with your medicine." Freya says with slight wonder, as she stops grinding herbs together in her bowl. "Why not reverse it?"

"I didn't think I had too. I was living a normal, human life till that little wolf queen kidnapped me, and now with you holding me captive and all." Keelin shots Freya a hard look. Ignoring the dark skinned girls look, she walks to her with her bowl and hold out her hand, waiting.

"This will help with your wounds." She says, mentioning the bowl. Hesitant, the other girl holds puts her wrists into Freya's hand, who immediately starts to apply the herbal paste to the girls wrists, then grabbing some white bandages and warping them up.

"Thanks…" Keelin says, unsure. Freya's lips twitch upward, but the gesture disappears quickly before turning back into a serious look.

"My sibling are heading back to New Orleans, butting themselves at risk to protect my niece. We need a cure now more then ever…unless we find a way to destroy the disease." Freya says slowly as realization hits her.

"What are you talking about?"

"You want your freedom, I want to keep my family safe. A way to get what we both want. You said so yourself earlier, all living beings are still biological organisms. If you found a way to weaken yourself, than with my magic and your medicine, we can create a way to kill Marcel Gerard." Freya says in amazement.

* * *

Elena let out a breath of relief once she steps inside her apartment and closes the door. Leaning against it, she closes her eyes for a moment, _It's been a long day and I still need to make that call. First I should eat something though…_ Looking at the kitchen counter and seeing her left over pudding cup from this morning, she makes a face. _'Thaniel is right…I need to eat something different, pizza maybe? I can just order that._

Pulling her jacket off and tossing it on her couch, she grabs her phone and places the order. Once done, she walks back over to her jacket and pulls out her dagger from the inner pocket. Inspecting the blade, still covered in blood, Elena smirks just a little, _I can't feel sorry for someone who was about to sacrifice a bunch of children, especially if my assumption to the being is correct._

 _"_ And now that I have something to work with…" She mumbles quietly to herself, _I can see if 'its' residue in the blood is anything to go by. Assuming it got into his head and the guy wasn't just downright full on crazy and sacrificial for his 'cause', whatever that is._

Sighing she walks and puts the dagger on her dinning table, watching as the black stone almost hummed from the blood on the blade.

After her food arrived and she at some of it, she put it away before grabbing her phone again. Looking though her contacts, she stops at a name, thumb hovering over the screen. Pressing the dial image and holding the phone to her ear, she waits until she hears someone pick up.

"Alister." She greets, making her way to her bedroom, picking up her bloody dagger on the way, closing the door behind her.

* * *

Kol was walking down the empty back road, in the dark ,when he came upon a stranded convertible, classic too. Seeing the body sitting in the car, he walks up to it calling out, " Hey, buddy! Nice ride you've got there! Mind if I borrow it?"

As he turns to the drivers side, he sees the mans throat covered in blood. Recognizing the sent of the vampire he rolls his eyes, "Really?"

"Well, I knew you'd like this car, you're so predictable. Although I couldn't resist the extra snack on the side." The blond vampire says as she showed up on the passengers side, smirking at him, blood dripping down the corner of her lip.

"What are you doing?" He asks his sister.

"Staring a new adventure, and anywhere you're going is as good as any. Besides, someones got to keep you out of trouble." Rebekah smiles knowingly up at him. Looking away, he sighs then opens the drivers door, pulling the body out and dropping it on the street before getting in. Rebekah gets in the passengers side and they both smile at each other and then speed away in the darkness.

* * *

 _Disclaimer: I don't own anything!_

 _A/N: Here is part 2 of that really long chapter, this one become longer then intended. I know I said that chapters range from 2000-4000 words, but I might have to up that because if I add part one to this like it should have been it would be around 11000 words, but I don't want to exhaust you guys from to much happening. And I'm not sure my fingers can take it. I know I said I'd update yesterday, but College came in the way and easter was happening, so I decided to take a break. I wrote a few scenes word for word from the tv, but not too many, so were staring to see progress on that. Also Elena is acting very odd at the moment, but there you all will find out eventually._

 _One thing I will tell you, especially if you're a proactive reader, its pay attention; there are hints everywhere; some are obvious others are not. Some things may not make sense now, but they will later on in the story._

 _Sorry for any misspellings and bad grammar or diction! English isn't my first language, but I've gotten better at it then where I was 10 years ago in 6th grade, sometimes it's still difficult to catch on to the error's I make._

 _Thank you for the wonderful reviews last chapter, you guys made me smile the entire day! And thank you to those who followed and who made this story one of their favorites, ya'll are awesome and I hope you know that!_

 _Fun Fact( maybe its fun): I named the story after the song 'Believer' by Imagine Dragons, because the first time I heard it, and after watching the first episode of the 4th season of 'The Originals', it inspired me with a scene and tada!_

 _Please leave a review and tell me what you think of this chapter or just in general, or any ideas, theories to what you thing might happen? Also, you're welcome to follow and favorite this story, so you don't miss any updates in the future. Feedback is always appreciated :D_


	5. Keepers of the House: Part 1

_**Believer**_

 **Chapter 3: Keepers of the House : Part 1**

The driver of the ambulance full of children drove down the empty road, until he saw the flashing lights of a cop car parked so he couldn't pass. Pulling over the side and parking, he gets out and the cop leaning against the car walks up to him, a smile on his face. Before the driver could ask, he fell to the ground, throat slit open and the cop holding the bloody knife. Stepping over the body, he walks to the back of the ambulance opening the doors to see the children. They look up at him in recognition, before they all felt a wave of dizziness and fell over, unconscious. Leaving his car behind, the cop gets into the drivers seat and drives away with the ambulance.

Driving down some abandoned dirt road, he parks and gets out as he sees five people appear.

"The children?" A dark chubby man asks, wearing a cloak.

"Sedated in the back." The cop answers him. The other man nods before handing him a talisman.

"It will protect you." Is all he says. The thin man nods his head and takes it into his hands, before walking away, leaving the children with the others.

* * *

Marcel heard a knock as he stood in his living room kissing Sofya.

"Ignore it." She tells him, but just then Vincent barges through the door, making her huff in annoyance, " I'll be in the other room."

Marcel nodded and grabbed a shirt, "Seriously man?" then he saw the worried look on his friends face.

"Those kids never made it home." Vincent states wide eyed. Marcel own grow wide and he says in frustration,

"What the hell do you mean? I loaded them in there myself!"

"Yeah, well it never arrived Marcel!" The witch says in frustration. Putting a hand to his face and closing his eyes he takes in a breath.

"Well, we weren't the only ones there." Marcel states.

"Why would she help us safe them, only to kidnap them or kill that guy and save us? I mean, why not just kill us while she had the chance and not have anyone in the way? I don't get it!"

"She left pretty early Vince. Face it, we got played! I don't trust random strangers who show up out of nowhere."

"Marcel…if that girl took those kids…I don't know how I'm gonna be able to find them. I couldn't even sense her!"

"Look…you just go and help Hope, I'm gonna see in the morning if I can talk to the witches, see if they know something about this spirit or whatever it is."

* * *

Hayley with Hope in her arms, hurried down the stairs of the Mikealson Compound in New Orleans.

"Is Vincent here yet?" She asks frustrated.

"I'm right here!" The man in question announced, " I kept my word, now the only question is rather you guys are gonna keep yours. As soon as I'm done healing your kid, you need to leave town." Hayley puts Hope on the cushion on the ground, making sure she lay comfortably.

"Well, we're not gonna stay are we! Your city has lost its charm!" Klaus exclaims angrily.

"What he means to say is, that we're very grateful. Just help her and well leave." Hayley says, her voice pitching at the end, looking at Vince with a begging expression.

"Just get us what we need and we'll do so happily." Elijah states.

Looking at Hayley, Vince says, "Excuse me." She moves out of his way and he makes his way to Hope.

Vincent immediately starts to chant and cast the purification spell on the little girl. Once done, within seconds Hope opens her eyes and smiles up at her mother. Hayley takes her into a hug and helps her stand.

"That's it, your little girl is purified." Vince says walking over to Klaus.

"Thank you." Klaus breathes out in relief.

"Now look, the only gratitude I need from any from you, is to see you leaving this city." The witch tells him and then turns around to walk out the door, but stops halfway to the door.

"Go over to daddy." Hayley tells her daughter, a small smile on her face. Hope nods and turns, dressed in her nightgown and a dream-like smile on her face. Just as she walks toward her father, something starts falling from the sky into the compound and around the seven year old, and she turns to look around her, terrified.

The Mikaelson's and Vincent watch in horror as crows fall one by one around the girl and then just stops. Hope stood confused and scared in a circle of dead crows, Hayley moves quickly to her and kneels in front of her placing a hand on her little shoulders.

"What is this?" Klaus asks Vincent, who stares just as shocked.

"I don't know." He answered the hybrid, wide eyes and horror present.

"Mom…can…you hear that?" Hope asks blinking as she looks around in confusion. Hayley looks at her concerned. "It's whispers…saying a name over and over…Kre Nan Hun, Kre Nan Hun." She whispers the syllabus out, hearing the snake like whispers in her head.

"Vincent…what is that?" Hayley asks, barely taking her eyes off of Hope as she goes to look over at Vincent out of the corner of her eye.

"It's a nearly forgotten dialect. It's Creole, it means 'The Hollow'. It means the Hollow is coming." He explains to them, the fear noticeable in his eyes.

* * *

Freya walks into the barn only to be greeted by a sluggish 'hey' from Keelin, who seemed to just wake up from being passed out by the desk.

Groaning the wolf girl says, "I guess I feel asleep working, you get any?"

Freya goes over to another table and starts packing some things together, " Well, I just woke up from a five year nap."

"You going somewhere?" Keeling asks, noticing Freya with her bag. The blond turns to her and answers, "New Orleans. Hope is still sick and my brother asked me to see what I can do."

"Great then while you're up there you can grab a vile of Marcel's venom."

"Klaus did say that Marcel was to be preoccupied. We can enter his home and steal whatever we need and leave before anyone notices." Freya tells her with a smirk, leaning against the wooden structure.

"Okay, hold on! You want me to help you rob the most deadly vampire on earth? Yeah, I think I'll pass." Keeling answers holding her hand up and turning away from the woman.

Freya rolls her eyes at her and pulls out an object from her bag, "If you're worried about a fight, allow me to even the odds." And she opens her palms to reveal a ring. Keelin's eyes grow wide at the sight of the ring and she takes it, looking at it in wonder, "The stone is kyanite. It's been spelled to give you total control of your werewolf nature…even during a full moon." She continues to tell the wolf, her face blank.

Keelin looks at Freya, eyes still wide, "This is a cure. It's everything I ever wanted." Her eyes turn suspicious, "Whats the catch?"

Freya purses her lips into a somewhat smile yet smug look as she shrugs, "A catch?" She smiles and tilts her head to the side for a split seconds, "Insurance." Keelin nods at her and tries to take the ring off, realizing she couldn't as she continues to tug on it.

"More like a leash. You spelled it so I couldn't take it off."

"Like you said. It's everything you ever wanted." Freya finished.

* * *

Sensing Hayley, Klaus asks, "How is she?"

Hayley walks down the stairs of the compound, "Her fevers back but she's laying down right now, she's asking for you." She tells Klaus, both wearing troubled looks on their face's.

"Well, make up something, I'd rather my daughter not know I've gone to murder witches!" He says angrily.

"Before we make any rash decisions, first let me see what I can do." Elijah cautions to Klaus, holding up his hand in attempt to reason with him.

"And I will go talk to Marcel. I am probably the only one out of the three of us that wont get killed on arrival." Hayley explains looking between the two men.

"And that leaves me to do what, exactly?" Klaus proclaims angrily.

Hayley sighs in annoyance and looks him in the eyes, stating firmly, "Stay here and protect our daughter! Don't let anyone or _thing_ near her."

After moment, Klaus finally sighs and nods his head, moving passed the mother of his child and up the stairs. Hayley goes to walk out of the house, when Elijah takes the back of her arm.

"Word of advice, Marcel is no longer the man you once knew him to be…he is no ally." He says reminding her. She nods her head and turns and makes her exit.

* * *

Klaus made his way up to Hope's room, upon entering he goes to sit on the bedside and looks at her with concerned eyes as he reaches his hand up to cares her hair.

"How are you feeling?" He asks her gently.

"I'm still so cold." Hope whimpers looking at her father, "Are the birds gone?"

"Yeah, they're gone sweetheart. And when you are better, which you will be soon, you and I will share the biggest plate of beignets the world has ever seen. And you can tell me where in this big wide world you would like me to take you next." The smile that grew on her face warmed Klaus's heart so much that he still felt it to be such a foreign feeling after being in isolation for so long.

"Mom said you loved New Orleans most of all." She watches as his face saddens slightly at her worlds. He looks down at her small hands and takes them into his own before looking back at her with a small smile of his own.

"I did once," He says to her softly," but putting your love in a place is a mistake. Being here in our home, seeing these walls, " Klaus looks around them, "I am reminded that it is people that it is best suited to fill our hearts."

He watches her smile at him, until it suddenly drops and she winces, "Dad, I don't feel so good."

Klaus moves his hand up to Hopes forehead, his eyes grow in concern at the temperature.

Marcel walks into an alleyway, where some of the Quarter witches where at. As he walks up some stairs, he stops and looks at them saying, "Listen up! Listen up!" He calls out to the crowd, most of the witches look at him in fear and some in disgust. "For five years now we've had a truce; stayed out of each others business, tended to our own. But now _your_ problems are becoming _mine_. Someone is taking children and as you know I have one _non-negotiable_ rule; we do _not mess with kids!_ Now you've seen that graffiti. " Marcel points at the wall behind where the witches stood, and they turned around to look at the Ouroboros symbol, "Someone here's gotta know who's responsible, right? So just give me a name, hm?"

"We don't owe you anything!" One of the witches calls out at him, holding her young daughter close to her, "You're no friend to witches."

"You don't trust him, I get it." A voice says behind the witch. She goes to turn around and looks at the former werewolf queen.

Hayley stood there leaned against the wall, arms crossed. Pushing herself off the wall, she walks toward the witch slowly, "But one of those kids is my daughter. She's seven…she likes to paint, catch fireflies, make up stories. All I know is that she's sick, and right now I don't care about the past; I'm just a mom asking you to help me." She finishes kindly, looking into the woman eyes.

The darker skinned witch looks down at her daughter for a moment before looking back at Hayley, "Theres a girl named Laura. I saw her draw the same symbol on her window in blood."

Hayley looks up at Marcel and back at the witch, "Where do I find this witch?"

"Oh, she's no witch, she's one of yours, a wolf. She ran off to the bayou." The witch tells her. Hayley nods at her and walks to leave, Marcel not far behind her.

* * *

Vincent stood before some witches that came to the church and spoke "Alright, look, I called you all here because there is something dangerous in the city. I mean this thing, it has followers and it's angry. This thing-"

"It is something my family and I hope to eliminate." Elijah interrupted as he leans against the entryway of the church, "If you all would give us a minute Mr. Griffith and I have much to discuss that would be very much appreciated."

The witches look at Elijah and then at Vincent, waiting for his instruction.

"It's alright ya'll, give us a minute." Vince tells them, still looking at Elijah. Once everyone left, he speaks again, "I have enough on my plate as it is, what do you want Elijah?"

"You need me, and unfortunately I have a long history of moving anything undesirable from New Orleans." Elijah tells him as he walks passed Vincent and up the stairs of the altar, turning to him.

"Yeah, and I'm sure that I'm probably one of those people on your list, so I think it's best if I work on my own." Vincent states.

"Oh it wont be a problem, children's lives are at risk."

"Oh and you care about children lives now? What about Davina Claire, Elijah? You certainly didn't think twice about her." Vincent exclaims angrily, crossing his arms.

"So you can only see me as some kind of merciless butcher?" Elijah asks gruffly.

"Yes, I do." Vincent says as a matter of fact.

"I will be however you want me too, I'll be the devil himself if I have too. But make no mistake that I will do whatever necessary to make sure that my niece is safe from harm. Now, from where I am standing, you are facing two evils, wouldn't it be nice to have one of those by your side?" Elijah …

"You might wanna be careful there, because I've got a feeling that I might be facing _three_ evils." Vincent spits at him with hateful eyes.

Elijah narrows his eyes, _this certainly is new. "_ And what other evil is there in the city?"

"Last nigh, when Marcel and I went to save those kids, we had help from some strange woman. She killed the witch responsible, but before she came, we tried to kill him and nothing worked, suddenly she came in a form of smoke-clouds, something like that, and stabbed him with some kind of knife. Before she left, we asked what she was, and she said that there are bigger supernatural to worry about then what we are. And then she left so suddenly, that it just makes me wonder if she could have been the one to kidnap them. " Vincent explains to him.

Elijah's eyes widen as he heard 'smoke' and 'clouds'. _Could it be?_ He thinks with interest. Before he had a chance to answer, someone else spoke up.

"Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but I'd just like to clarify that I am not the kidnaper." A female voice interrupts, drawing the attention of both Elijah and Vincent. Vincent recognizes her from last night, while Elijah eyes widen at the sight of her, a girl…woman now, he hasn't seen in so many years.

"Elena…" Is all he manages to get out as he continues to stare at her.

Sending him a small smile, she greets back in a tone of familiarity, " Hello Elijah."

Vincent looks between the two of them, distrust for this girl building even more in the pit of his stomach. "You two know each other?" He asks suspiciously.

Elena looks away from the Vampire and looks at the man who's life she saved last night and replies with a shrug, "Something like that." Elijah's lips twitch at her vogue answer. "Anyway, seeing as the kids went missing again, and last nights events, I think it's best I tag along again. And before you ask and throw all that's why should we trust you' crap, If I wanted to kidnap a bunch of children, I would have kidnaped my nieces, because they would come willingly." She continues with a hint of an authoritative tone Elijah didn't know she was capable of.

"And what makes you think we need your help?" Vincent asks almost defiantly. Elena sends him a quirk of a grin.

"If it wasn't for me, you and the other guy…Marcel was it? Would have been a little dead…well you would have been,not too sure about the other one to be honest." Elijah hid his shock quite well at this , even though he heard so from Vince, it was different hearing it from her…at least he assumed, but now that he though about it, _…she does seem different then last I've seen her._

"Elena…if you don't mind my asking, but why do you feel inclined to help in such a dire situation? Non the less my niece after all my family put you through?" Elijah couldn't help but ask, if he was being honest with himself, he was very curious on why she was in New Orleans, but that could wait.

"I'm not about to let my dislike for your brother cloud the fact that there are five innocent children who are being drained dry of their magic. I'm not that petty, or Katherine, for that fact. I thought you at least knew me better then that Elijah. Look, we can play catch up later if you want, but right now, we need to hurry." Elena pushes.

"Look, if you can help us and do whatever the hell that was last night, be my guest." Vincent tells her, turning to the Vampire he states, "We need all the help we can get and for now, I'll believe you, but I sure as hell don't trust you." Turning back to Elijah he says, "But we're doing this my way."

Nodding his head once, Elijah gives Elena a look, his lips twitching as he purses his lips and holds back a smile, "Shall we go then?"

Relaxing her tense muscles a bit, she answers, "Fine by me. Lets go."

* * *

Once arriving in front of Marcel's apartment door, Freya wastes no time casting a spell, opening the locked door. Hurrying inside with Keelin she looks around the place.

"Nice job on the lock, you'd make a good cat burglar." Keelin compliments mockingly.

"All magic is, is just opening locks and finding loopholes." Freya states simply.

"Soooo…tell me again why you don't just tell your family about our secret project?" The werewolf asks her, eyeing some furniture.

"They tend to be overly sensitive when it comes to Marcel."

"Not you though huh? The merciless badass who doesn't get sentimental about anyone." Keelin tell her jokingly, giving Freya a smirk over her shoulder.

Smiling at that, Freya states walking around the room, "Someones gotta be the big sister."

"Okay, since you're _so_ in love with taking charge, where do we look?"

"Marcel stockpiled Klaus's blood, no doubt he did the same with his venom." Freya muses.

"So he had to hide it someplace safe." The curly haired woman replies.

"You know, that ring enhances your instincts. Why not try using them?" The witch points out impatiently

"Sorry, I don't do bloodhound." Keelin tells her, leaning with both hands on a table.

"Fine, we'll do it my way." Freya bends her head forward at this and raises both hands, snapping her fingers. Within a second, a door blending in with the wall clicks open, revealing a safe. Turning around to look at it, Freya pursed her lips, a look of indifference on her face, her 'friend' looking impressed at the small door.

* * *

After they made their way up to the foyer of the church, Vincent went to grab an urn. Elena raises an eyebrow, and Elijah turns his questioning look to Vincent.

"Is that?" Elena asks slowly.

"It's the ashes of a witch that lost their way because of the Hollow." Vincent answers her, glancing at her for a moment. Elena looks at the ashes and then turns her head away, looking over down at the altar of the church. The idea of looking at the ashes of a man she killed was unnerving to her.

"Has it spoken to you?" Elijah asks Vincent, looking at a painting.

Vincent turns to him and says uncomfortably, "It's more like a…podcast, but I was able to shut it out. A lot of people have a harder time doing that."

Elena perks up at this information and raises her brow.

Elijah notices her discomfort form her body language, but he turns stating to Vincent, "Like your wife "

"You know, theres a difference between what we project and what we have inside of our hearts. It's what we try to hide inside of our hearts, right? Now that thing, it took everything dark and twisted inside of me and it used it against me. Used it against my wife and ended up taking everything I ever loved away from me." Vincent explains to him as he presses his fingers against his chest.

"So you have every reason to want to remove it from this earth." Elijah implies.

"Yeah! But lets say you're gonna run into that thing today Elijah. It's gonna take everything that you want to keep buried and it's going to _use_ that and make you do exactly what it wants you to do. And that's what makes you a liability to the very niece we're both trying to protect." Vincent hisses at him.

"It's more than that." Elena states still looking over the altar. It isn't until she senses their stares that she turns to look at them. "The Hollow doesn't just reach for the deepest darkest part of you. It literally takes a piece of your soul, and a human losing a part of their soul…it's the part that makes them go crazy. A human losing all of their entire soul? They literally become hollow, a vegetable…which makes perfect to use as a follower, fill them with ideas and return that part to the body, you've got yourself a bunch of robots, puppets on strings. It works the same with most supernatural beings."

"Hold up, you're saying the Hollow…is taking peoples soul?" Vincent says slowly as somethings are starting to make sense to him.

"Yeah." She tells him awkwardly, shifting next to the reeling.

Elijah's mind turns frantic at the thought of some spirit eating his nieces soul, "And how do you know this dear Elena?" He questions her, hiding his worry.

"I have an old friend whom is very good at his research." Elena tells him. Elijah simply nods his head, sensing that she wouldn't tell him more then that. Although still suspicious, he can't tell if she's lying or not, which worries him. _I used to always be able to tell. Her heartbeat is so calm and steady…it didn't jump even as she saw me._

Vincent holds his hands over the ashes as he did his spell, and within seconds, his eyes shot open, "Oh god no."

"What is it?" Elijah asks. Elena looks at him in concern. Vincent lets out a sigh.

"This just got so much more screwed up." He tells the both of them.

* * *

"That man, Vincent…mom said that he was a witch, that he came to make me feel better, but I feel worse." Hope whispers.

"I know, I know, but don't worry, because as we speak your mother and your uncle Elijah are working with Vincent to fix you up. So you just stay calm,and they'll make everything alright." Klaus tells her in a greatness breathy tone.

Hope blinks a bit before asking, "Do you know what it is? The Hollow…"

Klaus looks down saying,"No sweetheart, I don't."

"It wants those other kids…I can feel them." She tells him and his eyes widen as he looks at her, she continues, fear in her voice, "I think it wants me too."

"I am not going to let anything take you. I promise you that, I'm going to keep you safe…Always and forever." Klaus proclaims to her as he takes her small hand into his own and places a soft kiss on it.

* * *

The three of them relocated over to an abandoned bar in the city not for from Rousseau's.

"Are you sure it's your friend?" Elena asks in concern. She knew his magic told him the truth but she hated when things turn out like this, where the suspect or bad guy turns out to be someone you trusted.

"It's what I saw." Vincent tells her and she can hear the pain in his voice; it makes her clench her jaw just a little.

"So this cop…he's your friend?" Elena asks Vince as they wait for Will to show up.

"Yeah, and I'll be damned if something happens to him because of something I brought into this world." He tells her, determination clear in his voice. Elena frowns at him, while Elijah sits quietly and poised in a chair listening.

Elena shifts as she's leaned against the wall, arms crossed, a frown finding its way on her face, although it's been doing that a lot since she's arrived in this town.

"Something tells me this Hallow thing isn't all your entire fault, partly yes, not everything though." Elijah hides his smile behind his hand at her words, _Compassionate as ever._

 _"_ If what I felt last night is anything to go by, theres something much stronger that had to have helped it, no offense, but I think theres someone else behind this probably." She tells him.

Vincent just stares at her, and Elijah turns to look at her, a stern look on his face now.

"And you always go off of a feeling you get?" Vincent asks unsure.

"My instincts are pretty good theses days, so yes." She simply says. Moving her gaze past him, she says, "Your friend is about to enter the bar."

"Okay, you guys, just go and stay in this room, I don't wanna scare him off." Vincent tells them. Staying behind as Vincent goes to meet with Kenny, Elijah and Elena stand quietly.

"What brings you to New Orleans, lovely Elena?" Elijah states with an emotion she couldn't quite figure out.

"Just another instinct of mine." She say's. Looking her over, he feels the difference between the girl he once knew and the girl who stands in front of him; there was simply something…else about her that made him feel nervous in a way.

"You've changed." He states blankly.

"I won't apologize for that Elijah." She tells him, quietly, unable for human ears to hear.

"I would never ask of you to." He replies silently. They both go quiet and listen as Vincent talks to Will.

"This isn't really the time for a drink, shouldn't you be out looking for those kids?" Will says as he sees Vincent walking through the door.

"I'm a little…upside down I guess. I've got this _evil_ mojo just breathing down my back. It's the same thing that took out my wife, damn near took me out, and now I think it's trying to take out my best friend." Vincent says shakily, but just as he gets done explaining, Will pulls out his gun and point it at Vincent with an unsteady expression.

"Was this your plan Vince? Invite me here, confront me?" Will demands.

"Whatever this thing promised you, it's not going to deliver." Vincent tells him cautiously.

"You're wrong! The Hollow rewards those who are loyal!" The cop exclaims, making Elena roll her eyes at his statement, "Maybe if you did what it asked you to do, things might be different, for me, for Cami, for all of us."

"Is that what it told you Will?" Vince asks in concern.

"Thats what it showed me Vince! Look at this City! Its overrun with evil and the only way to take it back is to do one little evil thing myself." Will tells him, putting his gun down to his side.

"This is _not what you are,_ you can walk away from this, I can help you walk away from this!" Vincent shouts at his friend pleadingly.

"You can't help me, you can't even help yourself. Don't you see? You're in the middle of everything thats to come, which is why they sent me here Vince, for you." Will pulls up his gun just as he finishes the last word and shoot at Vincent three times.

Elijah flashes in front of Vince acting as a shield, but the bullets never come near either of them. Just then Elena walks forward from her own corner, her hand held up, palm toward Will, who tries to shopped again, but the bullets hit against her barrier and drop to the ground. Letting his hand with the gun drop for a second, she lets the barrier go, and Elijah speeds toward the cop quickly, before taking his gun and throwing it to the side, then proceeding to take will and throw him to the ground.

Kneeling down next to him Elijah smirks, "Thats quite the monster you've got lurking in there, wanna see mine?"

As wrong as Elena knew this sounded, but the look that Elijah wore in that moment did something to her insides. _Oh, Elijah, those words can be taken so many ways...Oh, get your head out of the gutter Gilbert! Not the time, nor the place._ She lectures herself _._

While Elena was in her thought, she didn't notice her two companions tie Will up to a chair. Snapping out of it, she turns to the man that fired the gun and cocks her head slightly, observing him and sensing for his energy. _It's still there, but barely._

Will looks at the strange girl with shoulder length hair and an innocent look in her eyes, before turning to look at Elijah with hate in his eyes, "So I see you're dragging more innocent people into this. What, Cami wasn't enough?" He spits.

Ignoring his jab, Elijah turns to look at him, "We can do this the easy way or my way, but I warn you that my way is much more unpleasant." Vincent gives Elijah a warning glare, which is easily ignored. Turning to his friend he kneels down and sights.

"Look man, just tells us where those kids are alright? Please just let me help you!" Vincent begs his friend.

Will smirks at him," It's too late Vince! Nothing can help those kids, you hear me? Nothing!"

Elena lets out a sigh and walks past the witch and up to the cop, kneeling down in front of him, she looks into his empty eyes, _It's already eaten taken to much of him._ Raising her hand to reach his face, Will moves his head away, "What are you doing? Stay away from me!" He growls at her. Placing her index and middle finger agains the side of his temple as he tries to jerk away, he suddenly falls limp against the chair.

Vincent and Elijah both look at her, eyes wide and Vincent's held a hint of fear in his eyes.

"What did you do?" The witch asks her shakily, moving to feel for his friends pulse.

"Don't worry, he's just asleep, it's something some of my kind can do. I think this should make searching for a trace easier, without the constant flinching and what-not." She tells him, keeping her face blank and voice steady, not giving anything away.

"You seem pretty powerful, why don't you just search for the Hollow?" Vincent asks her with a raised eyebrow.

"I've only been at this for two years…I'm not quite at my fullest potential according to my mentor." She chirps at him.

"Why are you helping us then? This isn't a game!" Vincent snaps.

Elena glares at him, "I said I wasn't at my full potential, not weak. I'm here to protect you, and help in anyway I can, protecting humanity from monsters is kind of my thing." With that, she walks into the other room annoyed.

Vincent sights in defeat, "Fine, whatever," and places his hands to hover over his friends head, closing his eyes, he casts his spells. After five minutes of no luck, Elijah growls impatiently, " If you don't get anymore results within the next five minutes, I will take these matters into my own hands."

"Five more minutes Elijah! This is ancient magic I'm working with here, it takes time." Vincent exasperates, gritting his teeth at the vampire.

Suddenly, Will's eyes snap open and he punches Vincent away, who was shocked at the sudden hit. Elijah moves to pin Will against the wall, but the human man pulls out the talisman he was given earlier and points it at Elijah who gets thrown back into the wall. Hearing the commotion, Elena runs into the room, just as Will points the object at him, she holds her barrier in front of him, repelling his attack. She goes to create a barrier around him, but before she could Will manages to run out of the bar making her growl in frustration.

" I'll go after him!" She huffs at the other two, who managed to stand up. Vince goes to touch her arm.

"No need, I placed a tracing charm on him, he'll lead us straight to those children." He tells her. Nodding her head, she looks at Elijah, noticing the wooden leg of a bar stool in his shoulder.

Wincing at it, she walks over to him, "Here, let me just…" And she takes the leg, pulling it out fast, so to rip the bandage right off. Elijah lets out a painful grunt at the action, but within a second, much faster then usual, it was gone, and he looks down to see her hand over where the wound was. As she moves to pull her hand away, he grabs it and looks into her eyes.

"Thank you, lovely Elena, although you didn't have too." He tells her softly. Elena shrugs her shoulders, looking up at him with a small smile.

"No problem, It's something I can do, might as well put it to use." He lets go of her hand after a moment and she turns to Vince and looks him over. Not sensing anything wrong with him, she nods her head and says, "All right, what's the game plan?"

"First I must call Niklaus and Hayley, see if they found anything." Elijah tells them.

* * *

"I know you can hear me." Says Klaus to a sleeping Hope, " I want you to listen…The heart, which beats in your chest, is a worriers heart, the heart of a Mikaelson. Whatever hold this power has of you," the little girl whimpers in her sleep, a distressed expression forming on her face, "it is nothing compared to your strength. Yours is a power greater then you know."

He looks at her, the expression on his face heartbreaking and filled with worry as he takes her hand and holds it to his lisps whispering, "Come on." Putting her hand down he continues, "Hope."

Noticing her whimpers getting worse as she starts to shake, he looks down and sees the bracelet she worse out on their walk, that she took off so she could heal the butterfly with her magic. Without hesitation, he snaps the bracelet off of her and flinches slightly as her eyes snap open.

"Dad?" She asks, "I saw them, the other kids. They're so scared…Promise me…if you ever see the blue lights, don't look at them." She continues weakly, before slowly falling back into her slumber.

* * *

Freya kept chanting over and over at the safe in the wall with no further luck. Letting out a sigh of defeat, she says, "I can't open it, which means this is exactly what we were looking for."

"Well, before you blow it open with a magic bomb," Keelin warns," Just keep in mind that they were gonna know that we were here."

"Well, do you have a better idea, because my family needs me and I'm out of time." Freya asks her irritated.

"Go help your niece. I've got super-duper wolf hearing and I will crack the safe open. If there is anything we can use, I'll grab it." Keelin tells her. Freya looks shocked for a moment, but its gone as fast as it came as she walks toward the wolf,

"Keelin if you try to run-" Freya warns but is quickly cut off.

"I know! You'll be able to make me turn all hairy, I got the threat the first time…You just go, help your family. I'll meet you wherever you tell me to." The wolf tells her, looking up at Freya. The blonde gives her a nod, pursing her lips before walking past her in a hurry and out the apartment.

* * *

Hayley pulls out her cellphone as she and Marcel make their way though the Bayou woods and dials a number, putting the device to her ear.

"How is she?" She asks as soon as Klaus answers.

 _"She's sleeping. Freya will be hear soon to start one of her concoctions. Tell me you have answers?"_ He replies to her.

"Marcel and I have a lead. A wolf who got caught up with the Hollow." She explains.

 _"A wolf caught up in witch business?"_ He interjects.

"Crazy, I know. I wanna ask her a few questions."

 _"Well, regardless of her excuses or your loyalties, I expect you to show this traitor the error of her ways."_ He tells her, his voice firm, leaving no argument.

"I'll handle it." Hayley says, hanging up the phone. As the wolf and hybrid come to a stop, she turns and looks down to where a girl stood facing the lake out by the dock.

"She's not gonna want to talk to a vampire, I'll go." Hayley tells Marcel. Looking at Lara and then at the wolf next to him, he replies,

"The thing is, last time I came across one of the Hollows goons, the guy tried to kill me if it wasn't for that other girl that showed up, so fair warning."

Nodding her head, she walks past him and down to the Dock and cautiously greets, "Lara…my name's Hayley, I don't know if-"

"I know who you are…Hayley Marshal, " Lara says shakily, holding a dagger in her hand, before turning around to face said woman, " I know why you're here…you're here because of the children. I'm sorry, I am, but there as good as dead."

Hayley kept the distance between the two as she kept her gaze steady, hiding her emotions.

"We're not here to hurt you." Hayley says gently.

"You can't hurt me anymore than I've already hurt myself." Lara's voice full of pain as she says this, " I didn't know this was gonna happen. I didn't know they we're gonna bring _children_ into it."

"It's okay. Just tell us who _they_ are!" Hayley demands.

Lara looks at the woman for a moment before speaking, "Those that serve the Hollow are followers of the blue light. I thought we were doing something good, trying to take back our city."

"Back from what?" Hayley asks, furrowing her brows.

"From him!" Replies the other wolf, stepping forward and pointing the dagger at Marcel. Hayley turns to look at the man then turning back to the girl as she continues, " From the vampires. For five years we've kept quiet, watching you lord over this city like it was yours."

"Hey, I spent the last five years keeping the peac-"

"It is not your city to rule!" Lara yells at him, cutting him off, "New Orleans belongs to all of us! And the Hollow offered us the power we needed. So long as we pledged our allegiance."

"Lara, you're a Crescent. You have the pack, you don't need this cult." Hayley tells her with pleading eyes.

"You were gone. You choose the Original family over your own kind. Don't you see…our _pack_ means _nothing. You_ mean _nothing!_ " She throws at Hayley.

"You're right!…I wasn't there, but I have a daughter now and Lara, she's one of the kids. She's one of the kids thats in danger! So please, help us help them." Hayley pleads.

Lara lets out a bitter, menacing laugh," You cant help them. The Hollow wants power, the kind that only comes from sacrifice. Those kids will die so it can get stronger." She steps toward Hayley, "And it will feed and it will rise and we will all bow before it…The great beast." She goes to look at Marcel, "Even you. My only mercy is, I wont be hear to see it." And without another thought, she stabs the dagger into the side of her neck, falling to the ground.

Hayley's eyes widen in shock and she runs forward, catching the girl, and placing her slowly onto her lap and looks up at Marcel, who looks at the dead girl then at the ground, clenching his jaw.

I own nothing!


	6. Keepers of the House: Part 2

_**Believer**_

 **Chapter 3: Keepers of the House : Part 2**

Walking one a dirt path in the Bayou, Elena watches as Elijah touches a dream catcher hanging on a tree that was made of bone.

"So you told everyone to be on their best behavior?" Vincent asks him, giving the dream catcher a cautious look as he moves past it.

"Oh I told them. Now whether they'll be obedient is another thing all-together." Elijah replies with a smirk.

Elena stands more behind them, not really feeling like meeting the rest, especially Klaus, _I have a right to feel nervous, considering last time we've seen each other I kind of killed his brother._

Bringing her barrier around herself in such a way that it was like wearing a jacket or gloves, she let out a sigh, "Maybe I should…hide behind a tree or something." She lets out, looking around, sensing the Vampire come closer.

"I wouldn't worry about Niklaus quite yet, he has bigger issues to deal with." Elijah measures her. Pursing her lips she nods at him, although not entirely convinced. Elijah walks toward his brother as he came down the path and asks, "Where is Hope?"

"Freya has her now, she's fighting it, whatever _it_ is." Klaus answers irritant.

"The kids are attached to that spell, we save the kids we save your little girl. We've got some back-up to help." Vince says pointing to Elena who was trying her best to cover herself with her notice-me-not barrier, but since she got pointed out, _I'm gonna strangle that man when I get the chance._ She growls in her mind.

"And the sooner you all can be on your way." Marcel says, stalking out of the woods with Hayley behind him.

Klaus turns to the girl, whom he hasn't noticed until now, and raises his eyebrow, something familiar about her, until, his eyes grow wide and then without another thought he turns to Elijah, pointing at Elena, "What is _she_ doing here!? Is this some sort of sick joke, brother?" Klaus asks in disbelieve.

Elijah lets out a sigh, "I promise you, Niklaus, that it is not. Elena, however, does seem to know a bit about the Hollow."

Lifting his chin up, Klaus glares at Elena, "And pray tell, how exactly would my now useless _Doppelgänger_ help with the Hollow? Tell me, do you have something to do with it? Is your little group of misfits back at it again to ruin my life?" He says mockingly. Elena glares at him and steps forward, ready to tell him where to shove it when Hayley speaks up.

"Clearly we're skipping all the hugs and hellos. Vincent…Elena."

"Trail leads off this way, so I guess we follow the uh bread crumbs." Vincent says, walking to the trail.

Klaus says, "Take those savages are holing a ghost raging rave, best make sure it works for them. I say we-"

"We split up. Klaus you're with me, I'm not letting you out of my sight. Anyone got a problem with that, I don't give a damn." Marcel cuts off, and without another glance heads down a trail.

"Well, you can have him." Elena breaths under her breath, turning to eye Klaus she says, "You just have this tendency to bring out the best in people don't you." Klaus glares at her.

"And I see Damon's been rubbing off on you. Am I to be expecting your little boyfriend to show up anytime soon?" He sneers at her. Elena shrugs, face blank.

"Don't know, last time I heard, he was somewhere in Africa with Bonnie. Anyway, shouldn't we be going now?"

"Right, lets go, you can…argue after we find this thing." Vincent tells them. They nod at each other and head their ways, with Klaus catching up to Marcel and Elijah, Elena, Hayley and Vincent heading down the other trail.

* * *

"I assume you embark upon this journey from the kindness of your heart?" Klaus mocks at Marcel.

"There are kids in trouble. Yours included." Marcel states, walking in front of him.

"It's a bit late for you to suddenly care about my child, considering you left her fatherless for five years." Klaus argues, following him down a little path.

"Well, speaking from experience, I figured I was doing her a favor." Marcel throws back at him, looking at him for a moment.

"Careful, less your insults damage the already tentative peace."

"Alright, listen, I don't care about our peace alright? I care about finding those missing kids and whipping out the messed up people who took them. Rule out the problems, make them go away, thats what you do when you're the king." The darker man explains, slowing down so he was walking next to Klaus now.

"All I see is a petulant prince." The blond man states.

"Always with the insults, you never do learn. Like that girl back there? Seems like you've got some history there too." Marcel says, walking up ahead of him.

Klaus goes to catch up with him, "On the contraire, my time in my dungeon cleaified my priorities, my concerns are with my child, and that doppelgänger is nothing but a useless enemy that has come to haunt me all they way from Mystic falls. And as for you I can Imagine no better revenge then leaving you to the endless struggle to prove yourself my better, you're welcome by the way." Klaus proclaims as he moves past him.

Marcel stood still for a second before narrowing his eyes and starts to walk again calling out, "Oh by the way, that girl that you're calling useless saved Vincent and I's life yesterday. For someone so useless, she seems to have some pretty strong powers in her. I've never heard of anyone being able to teleport before."

Klaus stops walking as he hears this, and his eyes widen for a split second,before shaking his head, not saying anything else, they continue to walk on.

* * *

"So you knew this Crescent girl?" Elijah asks Hayley as they walk a little behind Vincent and Elena.

"I did, but that wasn't her, she said something about blue light." Hayley says looking at Vince with that last part.

"Yeah thats what the legend of New Orleans says, the spirit presents itself in a bright blue ball of light." He tells them.

"That explains my visions." Elena says out loud, rubbing her temple.

"Visions?" Elijah asks, raising an eyebrow. Elena nods, pushing a branch out of her way.

"Yeah, they come in flashes, usually when something bad is about to happen…kind of like a radar. They usually don't hurt, but ever time I had one about the missing children and the Ouroboros, there was the blue light, and it hurt like hell. It makes sense now." She explains to them.

"Huh, that's interesting. So you rely on those visions a lot?" Vincent asks interested

"Well, considering they've helped me save a lot of lives over the last two years, yeah I do." She replies. Elijah leans forward as he listens to the two of them talk, _This certainly is a new development._ Hayley leans into Elijah as she walks and asks quietly,

"I guess Kol was right then, she really saved them then?"

Elijah glances down at her, before turning back to Elena, who turned her head a little to look back at the both of them, her lips turned downward slightly.

"He saw me?" She asks bewildered.

Elijah purses his lips, "He recognized your voice, is what he told us. We all thought he was crazy, but I've learned not to underestimate you." Elena nods her head at him, her eyes still held a hind of worry in them, "Perhaps now is a good time to thank you for saving both my brother and sister. Quite frankly, you are the last person I would have expected to do such a noble act, after all we've put you through."

"Someone once wrote to me that my compassion was a gift and to carry it with me. I figured after the way I've treated them in some events, the least I could do is keep true to those words." Elena smiles softly. Elijah sends her one of his own smiles before praising,

"The writer seems positively gifted, I'm sure he meant what he wrote."

"I'm sure he did, which is why I'm glad I found it again, even after my house burned down." She tells him, a little smirk forming on her face as she looks away from Elijah, not seeing the look in his eyes. While Hayley held feelings for Elijah, she knew that whatever just happened, was something between the two of them. She sensed the lingering emotions between them, although it did make her slightly uncomfortable, since she was in love with Elijah, but count allow herself to act on it anymore, then she already has.

"So Vincent, how do we kill it?" Hayley asks him, breaking the silence.

"We'll find out soon enough." Vincent answers her, going up the path.

A while later, the sky grew dark and Elena stops walking and looks around, her eyes narrowed.

"Something wrong?" Hayley asks her, lifting an eyebrow. Looking to her side, deeper into the woods, Elena nods her head.

"You guy's head on without me, I'll catch up." She tells them. Elijah frowns at this, and steps forward.

"What is it, Elena?" He asks her.

"From what I'm sensing about…a dozen people…followers, posing as a distraction to slow us down. It's okay, really, I've handled more then that on my own before. Go save those kids." She tells them, not leaving any room to argue. Elijah pulls his lips in a line, not used to this Elena, but at the same time, she hasn't really changed too much. Nodding his head, he looks at the other two.

"I suppose it's alright, lets go then." He takes a few steps away from her, before lowering his head and tilting it her way, "Please be careful."

Elena smiles at him, "Always am." And without, the three disappeared from sight leaving Elena alone. Letting out a sigh, she pulls her dagger from her inner jacket pocket, just in time for the followers to show up.

"Aw, look at the little girl and her knife! What makes you think you can take us all down?" One of them mocks. Elena smirks at him and shrugs.

"I have a feeling."

"Well, I have a feeling, and it involves you, dead, on the ground, me covered in your blood." Another one tells her. The former Vampire watches as the mans eyes flicker black and her smirk grows wider.

"We'll see about that."

* * *

Klaus and Marcel arrive at the ritual site, with a fire burning in the middle, just in time to watch Will walk up to a large, chubby man who was wearing a cloak.

"Now that you've returned, brother, we claim our power, our rightful place, and lay waste to all who will deny our master. Are you prepared to proof your loyalty to the Hollow?" Just as the man asks this, Elijah, Hayley, and Vincent walk up to where the other two are hiding. Elijah spots the children, warped in cloth and tied up, as if they where already dead.

"I know what I have to do. I'm not afraid." Will answers to the man in the cloak.

"We should begin." He says. Elena arrives next to Elijah, who turns to look down at her, his jaw clenches as he sees she's covered in blood. Noticing his eyes on her, she looks at him and his stare, ignoring it, she turns back to watch the chubby man pull out a long blade.

"Enough with this circus of Sadists." Klaus whispers, Marcel looks and watches him break off a piece of the branch next to him, and throw it into the chubby mans chest. Gasping for air, he falls to the ground, dead. Hayley and Vincent gasp in surprise at Klaus's action. Without another thought Elijah, Klaus, and Marcel make their way at Vampire speed, killing the other followers around the ritual.

"We gotta get the kids! Get the kids!"Vincent orders. Hayley, Vincent and Elena ran to the children grabbing them. As one of the followers attacked Hayley, she snapped his neck, throwing him to the side and taking two of the children. Two more followers came at Elena, but she pulls her bloodied knife out and stabs on in the throat. The other goes to grab her from behind, but her barrier makes him unable to touch her, so she turns and stabs him through the stomach, letting him fall to the ground, pulling her dagger out of him. Seeing one child left, she goes to run to them, just as Vincent gets to the kid first, Will takes out his talisman from earlier and starts to chant.

"Will! Will! Come on man!" Vincent begs his friend, "It's over!"

"Not all of 's only just begun." His friend states, pointing the pendant at him, pushing Vincent away, but he still manages to take the last kid, bringing him to the rest of them. Klaus moves, grabbing Will by the neck and lifting him up. "You can't stop whats coming." Will breaths out, a sick smile on his face. Without another though Klaus snaps his neck, and Vince watches from afar as his best friend falls dead to the ground.

"Nooo!" Vince shouts out, watching horrified.

Elena,not far away from where Klaus was, took out one of the last followers, then looks at the dead man and then at Klaus. Narrowing her eyes, she follows his transfixed gaze to what looked like a crocodile head with antlers. Suddenly she feels the agonizing pain in her head, from the visions, "Ahhh!" She grunts out, holding her head in her hands as she falls to her knees. It stops after a few seconds, and she opens her eyes and looks around her.

It seemed that she, Klaus, and Marcel where all surrounded by a circle of fire.

"Elena! Can you hear me?" Elijah says worriedly though the barrier. Turning she looks at him and nods her head. She walks up to him and raises her hands to the barrier, pushing on it with her powers, she feels it shake.

"The barrier wont let us escape. You need to unlink the kids from it, it's the only way to stop it!" Elena rushes out, "Go! Save those kids, damn it, I'll try and see if I can get them out of their trance."

Turning around to the two men, she walks up to them and shakes Marcel slightly, but he doesn't budget. Growling she tries with Klaus, who let out a groan. _At lest one of them isn't totally taken by this._

Placing her hands on each of their shoulders, she closes her eyes. Elena opens them after no luck of getting into their minds, _Five millines, figures you wont budget._ She thinks. Glancing up at the crocodile skull, her mind blanks for a moment and she blinks coming back from whatever that was.

Her eyes grow, there was blue light everywhere, it surrounded her, as if it was trying to consume her, but it never actually touches her. She raises her hand, expecting it to be her barrier, but a violet light surrounded her… _It feels so…gentle, calming almost,_ The girl wonders amazed. Snapping her eyes away from herself, she feels movement and moves her head to the side, seeing Klaus and Marcel again, only Klaus seems to be saying something to Marcel, "Don't look at the blue light." She heard. Frowning at the blue light, she puts her hand back onto both mens shoulders and closes her eyes, _Maybe…maybe I can do this. Alister said to trust my instincts, my instincts haven't failed me in two years._ _I can do this._ Her thoughts full of determination, she thinks about pushing her light onto the other two. Slowly, it creeps onto them, but then repels. Letting out a sigh, she tries again.

* * *

Vincent runs up to Elijah, just as Elena seems to be going in a trance herself and looks horrified.

"We've got this all wrong. It wanted us here!" Vincent exclaims with fear.

"Why?" Elijah questions, looking at the three.

"They want to channel your power and anchor the Hollow to the living world." Vincent tells him. Elijah looks at him, his mouth opening a bit, but words didn't come out.

Quickly they made their way up to the kids and unwrapped them from the cloth and ropes.

"Elena mentioned that we need to unlink the children from the ritual, or the barrier wont come down." Elijah tells Vincent, who nods in agreement, "How do we stop it?"

"I don't know! It's a sacrificial ritual, I cant break it unless I kill one of the kids!" Vincent tells him, looking up at the Vampire.

Hayley shakes her head, "No..No! There has to be another way." She tells them, standing up from where she was kneeled at next to a child. Elijah stands next to her and then looks at the kids, he purses his lips, thinking. Hayley frowns at the look on his face.

"Okay, umm, so these kids are powering that ritual, but there might be a loophole if I link it to you." Vincent says in a hurry and panic, pointing to Elijah.

Elijah steps closer to him with narrowed eyes, "Are you suggesting we take my life?" He asks appealed at the idea.

"I'm suggesting we stake you, with wood, you die temporarily, and that might be enough to break the spell." Vince explains to him. Thinking about the idea for a moment, Hayley speaks to him.

"It might be the only other option Elijah." Nodding at her he turns to the witch and reaches out his hand. Vincent takes it and puts his other hand on the shoulder of one of the kids and closes his eyes and starts chanting.

* * *

Elena furrows her brows as she pushes her light onto them for what felt like the millionth time.

 _"It's too late."_ A hissing voice whispers. Shaking her head she growls. _"You can't save them now." It says again._

 _"Shut up."_ She grunts at it in her head. The voice laughs at her pain.

 _"So young…so foolish. I could teach you. I could show you all the things that you are capable of."_ It cooed. Huffing in annoyance, she continues to push the light, it was bright, and paler compared to earlier, she knew it wasn't nearly as strong as it was when it only surrounded her.

 _"I don't think I want to learn from some psychotic old N-"_

 _"You should respect your elders…after all…aren't we cousins in the way of our heritage my dear."_ It sneers at her.

 _"You're no relative of mine."_ She thinks at it, with one final push, her light pushes onto Klaus and Marcel and everything grows bright.

* * *

Vincent continues to chant, and Hayley breaks off one of the branches of a tree. Going up to Elijah she stabs it through his chest, he falls to the ground and she catches him. Time seemed to stop for a moment.

* * *

Hope wipers in her sleep and Freya turns to look at her. Stepping toward the little girl she feels something pull her to the little girl.

* * *

Looking around, Hayley looks at the circle the fire out, "Did it work?" She asks Vince.

"Apparently." He answers her.

Putting Elijah gently to the ground, she stands to walk over where the three where at.

"Klaus…Marcel…Elena?" She asks cautiously. Klaus and Marcel blink and look around them, then to their shoulder, where Elena still had her hands. Suddenly Elena gasps for air and takes in a deep breath, opening her eyes, blinking at her surrounding. Seeing her hands still on their shoulders, she pulls them back, as if she touched fire.

"You stopped it?" She asks Hayley weakly, who gives her a nod, "Good." Trying to stand up with shaky legs she lets out a groan, "I'm going…I think I'm gonna…oh no…" She continues, her voice weak and breathy, when she feels her knees buckle and vision become blurry and then everything went black.

Klaus's reflexes moved fast enough to catch the Doppelgänger and he let out a sigh, looking down at her, "Suppose I'll play the knight in shinning armor this once." Marcel looks down at the unconscious girl with wonder, before Klaus asks Hayley, "What happened?"

"Well, we saved the kids, we saved you, but the Hollow wanted you…three I guess…to be here tonight. It wanted to anchor itself to you, so whatever it did to you all, I think its best to have Vincent look you over, make sure your alright." Hayley tells them.

Marcel nods in agreement, "Yeah, although, I think this one might need it more. Whatever she did, she tried to keep the Hollow away, I think."

"I will take care of her. Klaus if you would be so kind as to hand her over." Elijah says as he emerges, dusting off his now bloodied suit. Klaus raises an eyebrow before rolling his eyes.

"You always did have a fascination with the Petrova bloodline." Klaus mumbles, placing Elena into his brothers arms.

Vincent walks over to them, "Hold on, I heard something about her trying to keep the Hollow away?"

"I don't know, it was just a feeling." Marcel tells him. He looks over at the ground and sees the dagger he's seen Elena with. Going over, he bends down and picks it up, inspecting the bloody knife, before walking over and handing it over to Hayley, who looks at it with hesitance.

"She might want this when she wakes up." Vincent raises an eyebrow at Marcel's action," What? You've seen her blow that gate off like it was nothing. Also, I don't wanna know what she did to get covered in _that much_ blood. I don't want to end up on the sharp side of that thing." He shrugs, and without another word going up to where the kids where at.

* * *

Freya feels herself snap out of her trance, and suddenly Hope jumps up, sound and awake. She goes and hugs the little girl, "Hope, are you alright?" She asks.

Hope smiles into her aunts shoulder, "We're not cold anymore." She says.

* * *

Arriving back at the Compound, Hayley holds the door open for Elijah as he walks through with a still unconscious Elena.

"Elijah, are you sure it's good idea for her to be here? With Hope, I'm not sure…" Hayley says to him, fiddling and eyeing the girl.

"I would drop her off at her current residency, but I have no idea where that is, and a hotel seems quite wrong in this situation." Elijah replies to her, "I will put her in my room to keep an eye on her until she awakes, there is no need to worry Hayley."

"Alright." She sighs out," I'm going to go check on Hope. No doubt, Klaus is up there already." She teases and speeds up to her daughter.

Elijah made his way to his old room and laid Elena onto the bed carefully, before looking at her, one hand pushing her hair out of her face as he studies her, making note of a small scar by her ear, reaching up to her temple on the left side of her face. Tracing the scar, her whispers out, "You've changed more then I've ever imagined, lovely Elena."

Pulling back, he takes off his suit jacket and places it on the chair not far away from the bed and rolls up his sleeves, letting out a tired sigh as he inspects his bloodied shirt where Hayley stayed him with the branch. Sending one last glance at the sleeping girl, he made his way back downstairs and into Klaus's old study before going to take a seat on one of the old benches, deep in thought.

"How is our sleeping guest?" Klaus asks in his mocking, yet half-genuine tone.

"Still sleeping, she probably wont wake until a few hours. How is my niece?" Elijah asks his brother.

"Also sound asleep." The hybrid answers him. Elijah lets out a chuckle, pulling out a bottle of bourbon, showing it to Klaus.

"I've managed to find an old friend…or enemy, I can never really tell," He takes a drink from the bottle, "here's to a wretched day." Elijah toasts.

Klaus looks at his brother with concern, before taking the bottle from his hand and saying, A wretched day indeed." And taking a large gulp from the bottle.

"As soon as Hope is better, well leave, whether that girl is awake or not. Hope is all that matters." Klaus tells him with a firm tone. Sensing Hayley walking up behind him slowly, he hands the bottle back to Elijah, walking away.

"Hey." He says as Hayley walks up to him with a somber expression.

"I wanna ask you something." She says careful and hushed. Elijah looks up at her, when she kneels before him so she can look him in the eye, "In the woods…If Vincent hadn't found that loophole… what would you have done to those kids?"

Elijah looks away from her, putting down the bottle before looking at her in slight hesitance, as his expression matches hers and in a shaky voice he replies, "Whatever I had to do."

Hayley's gaze drops from his as she blinks at his words," We have got to stop making it a habit of putting our families lives ahead of others. I don't want that for myself, I don't want that for Hope." Standing up she places her hand on his cheek and looks at him, "We have to do better." Letting go, she slowly turns and leaves him sitting, as he watched her leave, his eyes glistening almost and mouth open.

* * *

Vincent sat in a now empty bar, as Marcel walks up to him and takes a seat.

"I know today was rough for you." Says Marcel, "At least we put an end to it."

Vincent takes a drink from his glass, "Kenny's dead." He says blankly, "But the thing that they idolized, the Hollow. Marcel, it wanted us there. It wanted to come into our world by anchoring its self to one of us. So it makes me wonder; did we end it or is it just getting started?"

xxxxx

Hope lay in her bed, when she opens her eyes slowly, turning her head, she smiles as she sees a plate filled with donuts. Getting up, she takes one from the plate and makes her way out of her room.

xxxxx

Marcel looks down at Vince, "You think it's gonna come after me?"

"Marcel, I wonder man, if it hadn't already got to you." Vincent implies pointing at him for a second then crossing his arms on the bar, "What did you see when you were in the circle?"

"Nothing…not a thing." Marcel tells him, shaking his head in thought.

"That girl..." Vincent starts.

"I told you, it was just a feeling. I felt a pull, warning me, but never actually saw or felt anything other then that." Marcel tells him.

xxxxx

Walking through the compound with her sweet, Hope takes a step up the stairs. Hearing the buzzing of a light flicker, she stops and turns to look at it. Slowly turning back, she starts walking back up the stairs

xxxxx

Taking another glass, Vincent places it in front of Marcel and fills it up with bourbon, " I hope you're right." Getting out of his chair to leave, Vincent turns back to Marcel and pats him on the shoulder once with the back of his hand, then looking and having his hand in a pointing motion, "That's the funny thing about this city though Marcel; _Nothing_ ever stays buried."

Marcel shoots him a lob sided smirk, before it vanished as he throws back the bourbon. Holding the glass, the lights start to flicker. Marcel grows still.

xxxxx

Hope looks in the hallway curiously as another light starts to flicker.

xxxxx

Marcel looks at his glass in curiosity, when a blue light reflects in it. Careful putting the glass down, he turns his head to look behind him and stands up and he sees the broken mirror, shattered in a circular shape, a blue light reflecting upon it like water. He walks toward it with narrowed eyes.

xxxxx

Stoping at the end of the Hallway, Hope looks up to see her father with his back turned to her, as he looks over the reeling and over the compound, a light flickers behind her, and she smiles at him.

Marcel looks into the broken mirror, when it suddenly shatters more, into the image of a snake eating its own tail. He stares at the mirror in shock and disbelieve, with a bit of a glare.

xxxxx

Hope walks closer to her father, when he suddenly turns around with a blank expression, his irises glowing blue. Hope takes a step back,fear in her eyes, and her mouth falls open in a scream.

Hopes opens her eyes, waking up from her dream of her father, eyes scared as she looks up at the ceiling, "No no no! It's here, the Hollow," She breaths out, "It's here."

xxxxx

Elena's eyes snap open, irises giving of a deep violet glow. Sitting up from the bed, she gasps for air, looking around the room in a panic, _Where am I? .…Was I actually asleep? What the hells was that…dream?_ Getting up from the bed, she senses the Originals within the house, she suspected that meant she was in their house. Without thinking, she teleports away and slides down the door of her apartment, breathing heavily.

 _"This is only the beginning."_ The voice whispers into her mind it's hissed tone.

* * *

 _A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It seems like I'll have to update what was originally one chapter, into two separate ones, because FF won't let me update 12,000 words at once or my internet sucks that bad, idk, so Authors Notes will be on the second part of the chapters._

 _I know this one is one week late, but please understand that my college has to come first, so updates are a little shaky, especially in the coming weeks; finals are coming! Fuuuunnnn….not! And I'm also going on Vacation back home in Germany, so I'll still update, just not on a schedule! I will be working on the next one as much as I can this week (finals!) and next, my fingers can only take so much typing in a day w/ research papers :)_

 _So, moving along! You guys are really great! I hope you know that! I really enjoyed reading your theories, so keep those coming please! X) But thank you all for reviewing and following and favoring! And I'm glad that some of you are getting Elena's personality, because this story is going to be mainly about her and her self-discovery. As for romance, I'm going to try to give a little of both Elejiah and Kolena, but I'm going to try to keep out of the love triangle area._

 _If you like listening to music while you read, the song that played during the last scene's in the actual episode was :_ diminuendo (lawless feat. britt warner), _it just helps make the scene._

 _Please leave your thoughts and/ or theories, on this chapter in a review if you'd like!_

 _P.S: This story has no beta, so pleas excuse any misspellings, forgotten words, bad grammar, and bad diction, run on sentences, the works._


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